About👤

Year of Birth: 1955 | Ob.

Location: Fukuoka Prefecture

Master: TBD

Apprentice: N/A

Workshop: Independent - collaborations w/sellers

Kokeshi Style: Sōsaku | 創作こけし

Oki Yasunobu (沖泰宣) was born in Fukuoka Prefecture in 1955. He graduated from the Sculpture Department of the Sokei Art School and is a member of the Japan Kokeshi Crafts Association. After traveling to France in 1981, he continued to develop his artistic career through numerous exhibitions and creative projects.

Oki is an accomplished sōsaku kokeshi artisan whose work ranges from traditional doll forms to highly imaginative thematic pieces, including pilots, military figures, and other character-based designs. He is perhaps best known among collectors for his charming carved cats, which showcase exceptional attention to detail, particularly in the rendering of their fur textures and expressive ears.

Throughout his career, Oki has received numerous awards at major kokeshi competitions and exhibitions. His works are admired for their skilled carving, creativity, and distinctive artistic style. Together with his wife, artisan Oki Izumi, he has participated in a number of successful joint exhibitions throughout Japan.

 

Awards🏅

• 1984 – All Kokeshi Competition, Gunma Governor's Award
• 1985 – All Kokeshi Competition, Miyagi Governor's Award
• 1988 – National Modern Kokeshi Exhibition, Minister of Education Award
• 1992 – All Japan Kokeshi Competition, Small and Medium Enterprise Agency Award
• 1993 – All Japan Kokeshi Competition, Minister of Transport Award
• 2004 – All Japan Kokeshi Competition, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award
• 2014 – All Gunma Modern Kokeshi Competition, Prime Minister's Award

 

Exhibitions | Memberships 🖼️

• 1980 PENTA Group Exhibition, Tachikawa Civic Hall, Tokyo
• 1982 Experimental Artists Exhibition '82, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
• 1983-1984 Gunma Young Artists Exhibition
• 2004 Oki Yasunobu Creative Kokeshi Exhibition, Shibukawa City Museum Gallery
• 2005 Oki Yasunobu & Oki Izumi Creative Kokeshi Exhibition, Shibukawa City Gallery
• 2006-2011 Oki Yasunobu & Oki Izumi Creative Kokeshi Exhibition, Karuizawa Gallery Hana no Yōsei
• 2008-2012 Oki Yasunobu & Oki Izumi Creative Kokeshi Exhibition, Hirose Gallery

 

Other📑

Community gallery: Link

Soulportals gallery: Link

Known signatures: Link

 

Sources

 

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