Akiko SUMIYOSHI 住吉明子
Japanese 1981

Akiko Sumiyoshi (b. 1981, Chiba, Japan) is a contemporary Japanese artist who maintains her studio practice in Chiba. She initiated her professional artistic career in 2005 after obtaining her B.F.A from Bunsei University of Art and completing her apprenticeship under the guidance of painter Nobuto Fukutsu.

Sumiyoshi's artistic practice spans painting, sculpture, and installation, distinguished by its sophisticated integration of traditional Japanese Rimpa school aesthetics - particularly gold leaf techniques and decorative sensibilities - with contemporary ecological consciousness. Her works characteristically feature enchanting forest landscapes inhabited by endearing animal figures, rendered through delicate brushwork, complex color layering, and luminous backgrounds that collectively form her distinctive visual lexicon.

Notable solo exhibitions include 'Every day is a good day' (2024) and 'Piece of a mountain' (2023) at TEZUKAYAMA GALLERY, 'Tsui ka Tai ka' at Takashimaya Osaka Gallery NEXT (2023), 'Little Garden' at Little Darling Coffee Roasters in Tokyo (2022), and 'Parade' at Shinjuku Takashimaya (2020). The evolution of her unique visual language can be traced back to her early solo exhibition 'Zip Mind' at Design Festa Gallery in Tokyo (2005).

The artist maintains an active presence in the international art circuit, with consistent participation in major art fairs including ONE ART TAIPEI (2024), ART FAIR ASIA FUKUOKA (2023), multiple editions of ART OSAKA, ART FAIR TOKYO, Korea International Art Fair, and Art Show Busan (2012). Her group exhibition portfolio features significant presentations at prestigious venues such as Yokohama Takashimaya Art Gallery, Bunkamura Gallery, and Park Hotel Tokyo, establishing her professional footprint across Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.

Through her warm, vibrant zoomorphic representations and poetic meditation on nature, Sumiyoshi has carved a distinctive niche within Japan's contemporary art landscape, creating works that achieve a harmonious balance between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary thematic concerns while demonstrating enduring artistic resonance.

Artworks

Akiko SUMIYOSHI 住吉明子