Osumi Yukie Japanese, Living National Treasure , b. 1945

Ōsumi Yukie was designated Living National Treasure in 2015, and is the first female metalwork artist to receive this honor in history. She specializes in tankin, or hammered vessels. Osumi graduated in 1969 from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts. Afterwards, she studied under Kashima Ikkoku (1898-1996), Sekiya Shirō (1907-1994), and Katsura Moriyuki (1914-1996). She also trained as an artist in the United Kingdom for a year under the sponsorship by Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs. She has received many honors and awards, and most recently in 2014, was the first to be awarded a residency at The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the Smithsonian Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C.

Ōsumi applies the traditional technique nunome zōgan, or textile imprint inlay, in her works. This involves hammering metal-leaf or wire into a fine, mesh-like grid incised into the metal surfaces. Ōsumi creates decorative and functional objects, such as vases and tea utensils. Through her designs of wind, waves, clouds and streams, she strives to create an affinity with nature as formless and flowing.

Selected Exhibitions  

2013- 2024 Asia Week New York, US 

—2023 Japan Traditional Kōgei Annual Exhibition, Japan 

—2023 Living National Treasure Annual Exhibition, Japan 

2023 Osumi Yukie Metalwork ExhibitionSeiko House Ginza, Tokyo,    

         Japan

2022 Japan Metalwork Exhibition - Metropolitan Museum of Art 150th   

          Anniversary Exhibition, New York, US

          HOMO FABER, 12tone GerdenVenice, San Giorgio Maggiore    

          Church, MOA Museum

2016  Creating Handicrafts, Wako, Tokyo, Japan 

          Connecting Ceramics to the Future - Power of Traditional Crafts    

          Exhibition, National  Crafts Museum, Japan

2015 SOFA Chicago, Illinois, US  

2013 Contemporary Kōgei Styles in Japan, Morikami Museum and 

          Japanese Gardens, Delray Beach, Florida, US

2007 Beauty of Craftsmanship: 50 Years of Traditional CraftsBritish    

          Museum, London, UK

2003 50th Anniversary Exhibition of Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition 

          "Beauty of  Craftsmanship"

 

Selected Awards 

2017 Received the Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Rays 

2014 Received the 61st Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Japan Kogei 

          Association Holder's Award

2010 Received the Order of the Purple Ribbon 

          Received the 17th MOA Okada Mochiki Prize, Craft Division MOA   

          Museum Award  

2009 Received the 56th Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Japan  

          Kogei Association Holder's Award

1991   Received the 4th MOA Okada Mochiki Prize, Craft Division  

          Excellence Award

          Received the 1st Katori Masahiko Prize 

1987  Received the 34th Japan Traditional Crafts Exhibition, Japan 

          Kogei Association President's Award

 

Selected Public Collections 

Agency for Cultural Affairs | Japan 

Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art | Japan 

MOA Museum | Shizuoka | Japan 

Tamashin Historical Museum of Art | Tokyo, Japan 

Kunitachi City | Tokyo, Japan 

Iwata City Kaorino Museum | Shizuoka, Japan 

Victoria & Albert Museum | London UK 

Royal Museum in Edinburgh | Scotland 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art | New York, US 

National Museum of Asian Art Smithsonian Institution | Washington DC, US