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Akio Takamori Art

Japanese, 1950-2017
Akio Takamori (1950 – January 11, 2017) was a Japanese-American ceramic sculptor and was a faculty member at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. Takamori was born in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan in 1950 October 11. The son of an obstetrician/gynecologist who ran a clinic, Takamori was exposed to a wide range of people from an early age. At home, his father’s extensive library of both art and medical texts became a fascination for Takamori, who relished everything from Picasso reproductions to anatomical charts. Takamori’s interest in the arts persisted into early adulthood and upon his graduation from the Musashino Art College in 1971, he apprenticed to a master folk potter at Koishiwara, Fukuoka, Kyushu – Koishiwara ware. While learning the craft of industrial ceramics in a factory setting, he saw a traveling exhibition of contemporary ceramic art from Latin America, Canada, and the United States. Blown away by what he describes as the “antiauthoritarian” quality of the work, Takamori began to question his future as an industrial potter. When renowned American ceramist Ken Ferguson visited the pottery, the two had an immediate rapport and Ferguson encouraged Takamori go to the United States and study with him at the Kansas City Art Institute. In 1974 Takamori made the move to the United States, receiving his B.F.A. from the Kansas City Art Institute and later attending Alfred University in New York for his M.F.A. After working as a resident artist at the Archie Bray Foundation in Helena, Montana, he moved to Seattle, Washington in 1993, where he took his current teaching position as associate professor of the ceramics department. Takamori’s evolution as an artist began as he worked with Ferguson to break free of the constraints of industrial pottery and find new ways to express himself in clay. Since those first years at the Kansas City Art Institute his work has changed greatly, but it has always been figurative, based on the human body and expressive of human emotion and sensuality. In the 1980s, Takamori worked innovatively with the vessel form and its structure, creating flat envelope shaped pots formed from slabs. In the mid-1990s a visit to the European Ceramic Work Center in the Netherlands resulted in a shift from vessels back to an early interest in sculpture and the figure. Takamori created groupings of standing figural sculptures. The figures portray historical characters, contemporary society and rural villagers recalled from the artist's childhood in Japan. Most of Takamori’s work has been strongly influenced by his Japanese heritage. He has translated traditional Japanese prints into three-dimensional porcelain sculptures, he recreated his hometown in Japan from memory using clay, and he has translated Peter Bruegel’s paintings into sculptures of Japanese people. Takamori collaborated with Master Printer Mike Sims, of The Lawrence Lithography Workshop in Kansas City, Missouri, to create a series of prints that combine digital images of his ceramic sculptures with more traditional lithography printing techniques.
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Artist: Akio Takamori
Fruit Tree (Japanese-American, Sculptor, Print Maker, Cultural Identity, Iconic)
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Akio Takamori Fruit Tree, 1993 Medium: 4 Color Lithograph Edition: 30 Paper: Rives BFK, White Paper Size: 33.5″ x 15″ Image Size: 29.5″ x 11″ Signed, dated, numbered and inscribed by...
Category

1990s American Modern Akio Takamori Art

Materials

Lithograph, Archival Paper

Honey Thief
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Honey Thief, 2016 Medium: 5 Color Lithograph Edition: 27 Paper: Handmade HMP Waterleaf Paper Size: 24.5″ x 20.5″ (irregular) Image Size: 21.75″ x 13″ (irregular) COA provided On the...
Category

2010s Contemporary Akio Takamori Art

Materials

Lithograph

Untitled by Akio Takamori
By Akio Takamori
Located in Morton Grove, IL
photo xerox with ink image size - 5 x 6”; frame size - 11 x 12” BIO Akio Takamori (1950 - 2017) was a sculptor, printmaker, and painter who explored human relationships: interperso...
Category

Early 2000s Contemporary Akio Takamori Art

Materials

Ink, Laser

Secret State Goddess by Akio Takamori
By Akio Takamori
Located in Morton Grove, IL
monoprint, woodcut, gold paint
Category

1980s Contemporary Akio Takamori Art

Materials

Paint, Monoprint, Woodcut

Man and Woman
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist: Akio Takamori Title: Man and Woman Date: 1993 Medium: Lithograph, Rives BFK white Dimensions: 29.5 x 11 inches Editions: 30 Akio Takamori’s evo...
Category

1990s Expressionist Akio Takamori Art

Materials

Printer's Ink, Handmade Paper, Lithograph

Fuck
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist: Akio Takamori Title: Fuck Date: 1996 Medium: 4 Color Lithograph Dimensions: 24.75 x 33.5 inches Editions: 24 Akio Takamori’s evolution as an artist began as he worked with ...
Category

2010s Abstract Expressionist Akio Takamori Art

Materials

Wood, Printer's Ink, Handmade Paper, Color, Lithograph

War
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist: Akio Takamori Title: War Date: 2013 Medium: Lithograph and woodblock with chine colle Dimensions: 17.5 x 22.5 inches Editions: 36 Akio Takamori’s evolution as an artist beg...
Category

2010s Akio Takamori Art

Materials

Printer's Ink, Color, Lithograph, Wood, Handmade Paper

Monkey Business Series
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist: Akio Takamori Title: Sitting Monkey, Leaping Monkey, Walking Monkey from Monkey Business Series Date: 2011 Medium: Archival ink jet and hand li...
Category

2010s Pop Art Akio Takamori Art

Materials

Printer's Ink, Archival Ink, Color, Inkjet, Lithograph

Duet
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist: Akio Takamori Title: Duet Date: 2008 Medium: Archival ink jet and hand lithography Dimensions: 21.25 x 26.5 inches Editions: 45 Akio Takamori’s evolution as an artist began...
Category

Early 2000s Expressionist Akio Takamori Art

Materials

Printer's Ink, Archival Ink, Color, Inkjet, Lithograph

Love
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist: Akio Takamori Title: Love Date: 2008 Medium: Archival ink jet and hand lithography Dimensions: 24 x 31.5 inches Editions: 45 Akio Takamori’s evolution as an artist began as...
Category

Early 2000s Surrealist Akio Takamori Art

Materials

Printer's Ink, Archival Ink, Color, Inkjet, Lithograph

Secret State Goddess
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Akio Takamori "Secret State Goddess" Monoprint, woodcut, gold paint Year: 1989 Signed by artist & dated "7/1989" *created at the Anderson Ranch Art Center Size: 39 x 21.5" Akio Takamori (1950 – January 11, 2017) was a Japanese-American ceramic sculptor and was a faculty member at the University of Washington. Akio Takamori’s evolution as an artist began as he worked with Ferguson to break free of the constraints of industrial pottery and find new ways to express himself in clay. Since those first years at the Kansas City Art Institute his work has changed greatly, but it has always been figurative, based on the human body and expressive of human emotion and sensuality. In the 1980s, Takamori worked innovatively with the vessel form and its structure, creating flat envelope shaped pots formed from slabs. Once the ceramic piece was finished, he would paint onto the surface adding details of the figures that he was representing. These figures often explored human relationships. His work in this format lasted about ten years. In the mid-1990s a visit to the European Ceramic Work Center in The Netherlands resulted in a shift from vessels back to an early interest in sculpture and the figure. Takamori created groupings of standing figural sculptures...
Category

1980s Contemporary Akio Takamori Art

Materials

Monoprint

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Rare large bust by Akio Takamori. porcelain, underglaze and glaze circ 1989 signed
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Rare large sculpture
Rare large sculpture
H 30.25 in W 18 in D 7.5 in
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Artist : Akio Takamori Title : 3 Tier House with Women inside Materials : Stoneware Clay, Glaze, Iron Oxide Date : 1975 Dimensions : Tier 1 - 22.5 in. x 14 in. x 11 in. Tier 2 - 7.75 in. x 10 in. x 6.75 in. Tier 3 - 6.5 in. x 8.75 in. x 4.5 in. Takamori was born in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan in 1950 October 11. The son of an obstetrician/gynecologist who ran a clinic, Takamori was exposed to a wide range of people from an early age. At home, his father’s extensive library of both art and medical texts became a fascination for Takamori, who relished everything from Picasso reproductions...
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Untitled by Akio Takamori
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Located in Morton Grove, IL
Rare artwork by the master Akio Takamori. Akio Takamori (1950 - 2017) was a sculptor, printmaker, and painter who explored human relationships: interpersonal, archetypal, social and...
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Cup IX
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist : Akio Takamori Title : "Cup IX" Materials : Porcelain, Glaze Date : 1980-1989 Dimensions : 4x 3.5 x 4 Inches Description : Cup with Face, signed ...
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Cup IX
Cup IX
H 4 in W 3.5 in D 4 in
Cup VIII
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist : Akio Takamori Title : "Cup VIII" Materials : Porcelain, Glaze Date : 1980-1989 Dimensions : 4x 3.5 x 4 Inches Description : Cup with Face, signed...
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Cup VIII
Cup VIII
H 4 in W 3.5 in D 4 in
Cup VII
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist : Akio Takamori Title : "Cup VII" Materials : Porcelain, Glaze Date : 1980-1989 Dimensions : 4x 3.5 x 4 Inches Description : Cup with Face, signed ...
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Cup VII
Cup VII
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Cup V
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist : Akio Takamori Title : "Cup V" Materials : Porcelain, Glaze Date : 1980-1989 Dimensions : 4x 3.5 x 4 Inches Description : Cup with Face, signed T...
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Cup V
Cup V
H 4 in W 3.5 in D 4 in
Cup IV
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist : Akio Takamori Title : "Cup IV" Materials : Porcelain, Glaze Date : 1980-1989 Dimensions : 4x 3.5 x 4 Inches Description : Cup with Face, signed ...
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Cup IV
Cup IV
H 4 in W 3.5 in D 4 in
Cup III
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist : Akio Takamori Title : "Cup III" Materials : Porcelain, Glaze Date : 1980-1989 Dimensions : 4x 3.5 x 4 Inches Description : Cup with Face, signed ...
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Cup III
Cup III
H 4 in W 3.5 in D 4 in
Cup II
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist : Akio Takamori Title : "Cup II" Materials : Porcelain, Glaze Date : 1980-1989 Dimensions : 4x 3.5 x 4 Inches Description : Cup with Face, signed Takamori was born in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan in 1950 October 11. The son of an obstetrician/gynecologist who ran a clinic, Takamori was exposed to a wide range of people from an early age. At home, his father’s extensive library of both art and medical texts became a fascination for Takamori, who relished everything from Picasso reproductions...
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Cup II
Cup II
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Plate
By Akio Takamori
Located in Kansas City, MO
Artist : Akio Takamori Title : Plate Materials : Porcelain, Glaze, Luster Date : 1970-1975 Dimensions : 2 x 10.75 x 10.75 Inches Description : Porcelain P...
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Plate
Plate
H 2 in W 10.75 in D 10.75 in

Akio Takamori art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Akio Takamori art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Akio Takamori in lithograph, archival paper, digital print and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 21st century and contemporary and is mostly associated with the contemporary style. Not every interior allows for large Akio Takamori art, so small editions measuring 7 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Mikio Watanabe, Katsunori Hamanishi, and Elizabeth Peyton. Akio Takamori art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $1,250 and tops out at $7,125, while the average work can sell for $2,600.

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