Biography

Biography / Statement
Exhibitions / Awards
Workshop
Media
Public collection
Other Work

Biography

Tomoko Hokyo

Contemporary Artist

1984　Born in Chiba Prefecture
2007　B.A in Fine Arts, majoring in Japanese painting, Joshibi University of Art and Design, Tokyo
Currently lives in Tokyo

Tomoko Hokyo’s research involves tracing history to understand the present and the relationship between humans and nature, all based in the spirituality of Japan, where she was born and raised.

For Hokyo, who has loved to draw since she was a child, the act of drawing is proof that she is alive. In addition to painting, an important part of her life includes experiencing nature, studying history, and traditional Japanese culture. She spent her childhood with a curiosity about history and nature, which became an important starting point for her to understand her own connection to them.
Through her study of history, she uses her work to pursue the path to tomorrow, tracing the path that humanity and nature have taken, how they are connected to the present, and what kind of future the world is about to face.

Born in Chiba in 1984, Hokyo majored in traditional Japanese painting techniques at Joshibi University of Art and Design where she graduated in 2007. Her studies concentrated on the theme of Japan’s disappearing four seasons including changes to climate and the environment.
Upon moving to Kazakhstan in 2013, she was greatly influenced by the beautiful nature, culture, and religion which are so different from Japan. At the same time, her first experience as a foreigner made her think about the relationship between self and others.
In order to pursue the question of her identity Hokyo changed her style from traditional Japanese painting and, in 2017, started creating works with elements of manga, reflecting her childhood interests. “Who am I?” is a major question that has been ongoing since childhood which she pursues in her current work.
When she returned to Japan in 2019, in order to explore this question further, she traced back the lines of history from ancient times, expanded her approach of making artwork from a folkloric perspective, incorporated the spirituality and nature of Japan, and drastically changed her painting materials and style once again.
Since 2020, she has been creating abstract works in mixed media using not only natural mineral pigments and Japanese paper, but also acrylics and cloisonné. Her latest work is comprised of lines drawn in large quantities reflecting the lines of human history.
Hokyo uses the elements of cloisonné enamel to harken back to her maternal ancestors, who were gunsmiths and her grandfather who was a glazier; thereby representing time from her ancestors to the present. That cloisonné was introduced to Japan across the Silk Road, through Kazakhstan, links history with her own past.
Influenced by ancient ideas and philosophies as well as current daily life, she approaches the fundamental aspects of her act of drawing and continues to pursue the universal question of the meaning of humanity.

Exhibitions / Awards

Solo Exhibitions

2009 First Solo Exhibition　(Gekkoso Gallery in Ginza, Tokyo)
2012 Solo Exhibition “Kachoga -SAKURA-” (Dorado Gallery, Tokyo)
2013 Solo Exhibition “Kochiikusei” (Yorozu Gallery, Tokyo)
2013 Solo Exhibition “Lifes in Asia” (Isetan Urawa)
2013 Solo Exhibition “Traditional Beauty” (Mitsukoshi Ginza,Tokyo)
2014 Solo Exhibition “Japanese paitings which bridge Janan and Central Asia” (Himawari Grallery of Chiba Bank in COREDO Muromachi 3,Tokyo)
2014 Solo Exhibition (The Museum of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nur-Sultan,Kazakhstan)
2015 Solo Exhibition at Japanese Festival in Almaty (Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Almaty, Kazakhstan)
2016 Solo Exhibition “Shinka” (Art Fair Tokyo)
2016 Solo Exhibition “Destination of Pain/Sadness Breeding”(Renaissance Atyrau Hotel, the Republic of Kazakhstan)
2017 Solo Exhibition “Loves and Girls” (Mitsukoshi Ginza, Tokyo)
2017 Solo Exhibition “The Secret Garden” (Yorozu Galler, Tokyo)
2019 Solo Exhibition “The world of I and Space and Plants” (Mitsukoshi Ginza, Tokyo)
2022 Solo Exhibition “Traces of Time” (Himawari Grallery of Chiba Bank in COREDO Muromachi 3,Tokyo)
2022 Solo Exhibition “Traces of Time” (Hiltopia Art Square, Tokyo)

Exhibitions in past

2008 Group Exhibition by Mameko Endo and Tomoko Hokyo (Gekkousou Ginza, Tokyo)
2008 Group Exhibition “WOMEN Painting”by Japanese painting department of Joshibi University (J-trip art gallary in Ginza, Tokyo)
2008 Group Exhibition “Yubi 2008″by students and graduated students from art universities (Japan at Tower Hall, Funabori in Funabori, Tokyo)
2010 Group Exhibition “Yubi 2010″by students and graduated students from art universities (Japan at Tower Hall, Funabori in Funabori, Tokyo)
2010 Group Exhibition “Exhibition of Art Imagination”(NHK gallary, in Shibuya, Tokyo)
2011 Group Exhibition “Exhibition of Light” (Ginza Gionishi, in Ginza, Tokyo)
2011 Group Exhibition (DORADO GALLARY in Waseda, Tokyo)
2011 Charity Exhibition for Great East Japan Earthquake (Art complex Center, in Shinjuku, Tokyo)
2011 Charity Exhibition for Great East Japan Earthquake (Art complex Center, in Yokohama, Tokyo)
2011 Charity Exhibition for Great East Japan Earthquake “THANK YOU Exhibition” (DORADO GALLARY in Waseda, Tokyo)
2011 Group Exhibition by graduated students from Joshibi university of art and design ( Art complex Center, in Shinjuku, Tokyo)
2011 Group Exhibition “Yubi 2011″by students and graduated students from art universities in Japan (Tower Hall Funabori in Funabori, Tokyo)
2011 Group Exhibition “Hyakka Ryoran” (Art complex Center, in Shinjuku, Tokyo)
2011 Duo Exhibition “Sangaten” (Ginza Ougiya, in Ginza, Tokyo)
2011 Group Exhibition “Art Festival” (Toront)
2011 Group Exhibition “Young Japanese Artists in 2011” (New York)
2012 Duo Exhibition “Sangaten” (Ginza Gekkousou, in Ginza, Tokyo)
2012 Group Exhibition “El debutante URAWA in 2012” (Isetan Urawa, Saitama)
2012 Group Exhibition “Women artists selected by Fuyuhiko Yamamoto” (Mitsukoshi Ginza, Tokyo)
2012 Group Exhibition “Adesugata” (Gallary Shorewood in Aoyama, Tokyo)
2012 Art Fair “URUTORA 005” (Spiral Garden in Aoyama, Tokyo)
2013 Group Exhibition “Shunshouikkoku” (Gallary Uehara in Yoyogi, Tokyo)
2014 Group Exhibition “Hanayagi no iro” (Isetan Shinjuku, Tokyo)
2014 Duo Exhibition “Sangaten (2nd)” ( Gallary Shorewood in Aoyama, Tokyo)
2014 Duo Exhibition “Sangaten (2nd)” ( Gyouganji in Isumi, Chiba)
2015 Duo Exhibition “Hanayagi no Iro” (Isetan Shinjuku, Tokyo)
2015 Group Exhibition at 100th aniversary of foundation of Joshibi junior/high school of art and design (Ueno Royal Museum in Ueno, Tokyo)
2016 Group Exhibition “New Year Japanese Painting Exhibition” (Art complex Center, in Shinjyuku,Tokyo)
2016 Grouo Exhibition “Seiseikai” (Tkashimaya Yokohama, Kyoto, Osaka)
2017 Grouo Exhibition “Seiseikai” (Tkashimaya Yokohama, Kyoto, Osak)
2017 Grouo Exhibition “Break Zenya” (Bunkamura Gallery, Shibuya, Tokyo)
2018 Grouo Exhibition “Seiseikai” (Tkashimaya Yokohama, Kyoto, Osak)
2018 Grouo Exhibition (Mitukoshi Nihonbashi, Tokyo)
2018 Duo Exhibition “LIVES” (Isetan Shinjyuku, Tokyo)
2018 Christmas Art session (Takashimaya Yokohama)
2019 Group Exhibition “Bijinga Zukushi 2nd” A book launch Exhibition (Art Morimoto Gallery in Ginza, Tokyo)
2019 Art Expo Malaysia
2020 Group Exhibition “BREAK ZENYA -Selection by Tomio Koyama-”(Hillside Terrace ,Tokyo)
2020 Group Exhibition “The Girl” (Ginza Mitsukoshi ,Tokyo)
2021 Group Exhibition (BIOME Gallery ,Kobe)

Awards

2007 “Kato Nariyuki Memorial Award” as valedictorian of Joshibi university of art and design (Japanese painting department)
2009 Award in exhibition by Tokyo art center
2010 “Painting selected by musicians award” in exhibition by Dorado International Artists Associations
2011 “Sakura Award”in 22nd Garyusakura Japanese Painting Exhibision
2016 The 30th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident, the 2017 Astana Expo Memorial “Internal Artist Competition” 3rd place

Workshop

2013 Workshop of Japanese painting for Children/Adults (Aoyama Gakuin University,Tokyo)
2014 Workshop of Japanese painting (Japan Center in Astana, Kazakhstan)
2014 Workshop of Japanese painting (The museum of the first president of the republic of Kazakhstan in Astana, Kazakhstan)
2015 Workshop of Japanese painting (Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Almaty, Kazakhstan)

Media

2012 Weekly Post issued on 22nd of June
2014 Shinronavi (as alumna of Joshibi university of art and design)
2013 Asahi Newspaper issued on 14th of August
2014 Tokyo Newspaper issued on 29th of March
2013 Mainichi Newspaper issued on 9th of August
2014 Chiba Nippo issued on 4th of April
2013 Saitama Newspaper issued on 26th of August
2013 Tokyo Newspaper issued on 26th of December
2014 Mainichi Newspaper issued on 23rd of January
2014 Chiba Television
2014 Kazakhstan Television
2013 Art Collectors (January, 2014), issued on 25th of December
2015 Sankei Newspaper issued on 21st of May
2015 Tokyo Newspaper issued on 22nd of May
2015 Cool Japan (Web site, Spain)
2015 “Let’s take a look at word school” (Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs website)
2016 Magazine interview (JICA)
2016 FM Yokohama “Next artlogue” (Radio)
2016 BS Fuji “Break Zenya” (TV)
2018 Fuji Television “1H sense” (TV)
2018 Nippon Broadcasting System “Entertainment Next” (Radio)
2019 FM Yokohama “Future Scape” (Radio)
2019 J-WABE “J-WAVE Tokyo Morning Radio” (Radio)
2020 bayfm “MOTIVE!!” (Radio)

Public collection

(titles omitted)
The Chiba Bank Ltd.
The museum of the first president of the republic of Kazakhstan in Astana(Nur-Sultan)
Mate-Care Co., Ltd.
Other individuals

Other Work

2015 Front Cover of Chiba Bank’s Yearly Calender
2016 Book-Cover Design of Akihiko Nakamura, Shippu ni Orenu Hana Ari (The Flower was not Broken by Strong Winds) (Book Designer: Nobuyoshi Kikuchi) PHP Institute
2017 Executed Seventeen Ceiling Paintings out of One hundred sixty of Kyakuden (reception hall) in Shoujuin Temple, Ujitawara town, Kyoto