Fukumoto Fuku's debut was a striking one. In 2001, she won the grand prix in the Asahi Contemporary Craft Exhibition. Her work was powerful and vivid, far from what one would expect of an artist still at the beginning of her career. Her collection of pieces seemed formed in the crucible of a white-hot trance from which the artist had emerged to discover the work manifest and complete. It had about it the sensation, the muscular power of innateness.

To point to another characteristic of Fukumoto's work, each vessel feels uniquely shaped, sometimes presenting a human-like silhouette. There are pieces where the body of the vessel is pot-shaped while the top forms a sake cup shape, and each part, seemingly shaped separately, still overall conjures up a human image. A faint wave at the rim, the vestiges of faint or heavy indigo, press in upon reality with the rhythm of the breath.

Fukumoto Fuku works today at the temperature where white heat hits crystallizing point, yet paradoxically it seems she had no interest in craft or art until high school. She chose ceramics as if urged by deep natural forces. She felt, as she puts it, that it was "Japanese". Yet, despite this choice, she disliked the weight, the dense opacity and earthiness of ceramics. Out of this vast unconscious chaotic state, in which she sensed both the heavy opacity of ceramics and its Japaneseness, was born her core impulse, to express herself through the transparencies of porcelain.

Born in 1973 in Kyoto City, JAPAN

Academic Records

1999-00                 
Part-time Lecturer, Kyoto City University of Arts, JAPAN

1999                          
M.F.A., Kyoto City University of Arts, JAPAN

1997                          
B.F.A., Kyoto City University of Arts, JAPAN

Awards and entered

2003                        
The Shinjin Award (Most Promising Young Talent), Prize in Fine Art Division of the Gotoh Commemorative Culture Award, JAPAN
International Ceramics Competition Mino, Gifu, JAPAN

2001                         
Grand Prize, Asahi Modern Craft Exhibition, Osaka, Tokyo
Kyoto Prefecture Art and Craft Invitational Competition, ('02 Grand Prize), JAPAN

Solo exhibitions

2011                         
« Fukumoto Fuku », Galerie Pierre Marie Giraud, Brussels, BELGIUM

2004                        
Toutouan, Tokyo

2003                        
Wacoal Ginza Art Space, Tokyo.
Gion Konishi, Kyoto, JAPAN
INAX Galleria Ceramica, Tokyo
INAX Tile Museum, Aichi, JAPAN

2002                        
Hasegawa Ginza, Tokyo
Art Gallery, The Hankyu Department, Osaka, JAPAN

2000                       
Art and Craft Salon, The Takashimaya Store, Kyoto, JAPAN

1998                          
Gallery Maronie, Kyoto, JAPAN

Selected Group Exhibitions

2013                     
« Design Miami/Basel », Basel, Galerie Pierre Marie Giraud, SWITZERLAND

2012      
« Design Miami », Miami Beach, Galerie Pierre Marie Giraud, USA                      
« Design Miami/Basel », Basel, Galerie Pierre Marie Giraud, SWITZERLAND

2011                         
« Design Miami/Basel », Basel, Galerie Pierre Marie Giraud, SWITZERLAND

2010                        
« Design Miami/Basel », Basel, Galerie Pierre Marie Giraud, SWITZERLAND
« TEFAF Showcase », Maastricht, Galerie Pierre Marie Giraud, THE NETHERLANDS

2007                        
« COLLECT » the Victoria and Albert Museum, London
« The exhibition of 24 artists'OKIMONO » you-yuusya Gallery, Aichi, JAPAN

2006                        
« Women's Ceramic Art Exhibition » Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, Kyoto, JAPAN
« Jingdezhen Ceramics Fair, International Exhibition » CHINA
Gallery VOICE, Gifu, JAPAN
« The exhibition of chawan for tea ceremony » you-yuusya Gallery, Aichi, JAPAN
« White Gold » Flow Gallery, London

2005                        
« the White Ceramic by ten people » Gallery UTUWA-KAN, Kyoto, JAPAN
Bunkamura Gallery, Tokyo
Gallery Dojima, Osaka, JAPAN
Centrair Gallery, Aichi, JAPAN
INAX Tile Museum, Aichi, JAPAN

2004                        
« a vase », Gallery Suki, Aichi, JAPAN

2003                        
« A Small Flower vase », Gallery Suki, Aichi, JAPAN
« Bessel ? objet ? small tools », INAX Galleria Ceramica, Tokyo
« Floating Object », Gallery MARONIE Kyoto / Wacoal Ginza Art Space, Tokyo

2002                        
Color Museum, Tokyo
Ceramics of 7 persons « ONE + WAN ? distance ? », Kyoto Craft center, Kyoto, JAPAN
« Yuwan », Exhibition, Gallery Utsuwa Kan, Kyoto, JAPAN
Du-et Exhibition « Woodwork and Porcelain », SORA, Tokyo
« CONTACT?Japan and Korea, Young Ceramic Artist Exchange exhibition », Shiga Prefecture Modern Art Museum, JAPAN
« Tasting objet », Imura art Gallery, Kyoto, JAPAN
Du-et Exhibition « Pictures and Ceramics », Gallery Shokando, Kyoto, JAPAN

2001                         
« Forms with tops », Gallery Nishikawa, Kyoto, JAPAN

2000                        
« Beer glasses », Gallery Nishikawa, Kyoto, JAPAN

1999                          
Du-et Ceramic Exhibition, Imura art Gallery, Kyoto, JAPAN
Ceramics by 4 persons, Kobe, JAPAN

1997                          
« Tabula Rasa », Shijyo Gallery, Kyoto, JAPAN
« Ceramic Works », Gallery Maronie, Kyoto, JAPAN

Public collection

The Museum of Kyoto, JAPAN

Four Seasons Hotel, Kyoto, JAPAN

INAX Tile Museum, Aichi, JAPAN

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art, USA