KUMAGAI Koh

Teaching Staff (Creative Manufacturing Design)

熊谷晃
Title Professor
Research Fields Urushi craft techniques (Makie, Raden, Kawari-nuri,
Kanshitsu etc.) / Urushi harvesting and processing
Education
2000
Completed, Craftsman training program, Ashiro Urushi Technique Research Center, Appi Urushi Studio, Iwate
1998
Master’s (Urushi), Tokyo University of the Arts
1996
Bachelor’s (Crafts), Tokyo University of the Arts
Selected Professional Experience
2013-Present
Associate Professor, Akita University of Art
2002-2013
Lecturer (2002-2007); Associate Professor (2007-2013), Akita Municipal Junior College of Arts and Crafts
Recent Activities <Selected exhibitions>

2018
Akita no kusabana o utsusu [Depicting the Flowers and Plants of Akita]. Akita Akarenga Red Brick Folk Museum
2005, 2008
El Bello Urushi. Japan Urushi Association, Madrid / Barcelona / Toledo / Salamanca, Spain

 

<Selected Awards / Prizes>

2021
Recipient, Akita Prefecture Award for Fine Arts

2020
Iwate Prefecture Governor’s Prize, The 60th Exhibition of East Japan Traditional “Kogei”. Japan Kogei Association

Selected, Japan Traditional Urushi Works Exhibition 2020. Japan Kogei Association

Minister’s Commendation, Ministry of Justice, Government of Japan (for work as urushi instructor in job-training programs at Akita Prison)
2017
Superintendent’s Commendation, Sendai Regional Correction Headquarters (for work as urushi instructor in job-training programs at Akita Prison)
2012-2014, 2017, 2020
Selected, Japan Traditional Kogei Exhibition. Japan Kogei Association
2012
Winner, Akita City Culture Award

 

<Other>

1st Rank Urushi Craft Specialist (National Certification, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)

2017
Member, Japan Kogei Association
Courses Taught Materials: Expression and Design
Contemporary Art Seminar (Creative Manufacturing Design)
Drawing 1, 2
Creative Manufacturing Design Seminar 1, 2 (Urushi)
Creative Manufacturing Design Seminar 3 (Group Production)
Study of Regional Industry
Basic 3D Modeling
Graduation Project (Creative Manufacturing Design)

 

Example Works
Winner, Iwate Prefecture Governor’s Prize, The 60th Exhibition of East Japan Traditional “Kogei” (2020) Chinguruma [Aleutian avens] (Kawari-nuri, Makie and Raden, Japan Traditional Urushi Works Exhibition 2020. Japan Kogei Association) Hakusanshajin [Japanese lady bell] (Kawari-nuri, Makie and Raden, The 67th Japan Traditional Kogei -Arts and Crafts- Exhibition; 2020)

Further details (in Japanese) can be found at the following link: KUMAGAI Koh (Japanese page)