Artist Profile

Shojiro KATO

Artist Name

Shojiro KATO

Born

Tokyo, Japan, 1954

Gender

Male

Nationality

Japanese

Qualification 

1978  M.F.A. in Japanese style painting, Graduate School of Tama Art University, Tokyo, Japan

1976  B.F.A. in Japanese style painting, Tama Art University, Tokyo, Japan

Occupation     

Artist (Contemporary Japanese style painter)

Selected Awards 

2007  Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Prize in the 29^th Japan-Seiko Art Exhibition

1999     Grand Prize in the 23rd Japan-Seiko Art Exhibition

1997  Invited to the 40th Yasui Prize Exhibition

1996  Yasuda Art Foundation Prize in the 32nd Asian Modern Art Exhibition

Second Grand Prize in the 30th Kanagawa-ken Exhibition

1994  Grand Prize in the 30th Asian Modern Art Exhibition

1992  Japan-Asian Airline Prize in the 28th Asian Modern Art Exhibition

1991  Ueno no Mori Royal Art Museum Prize in the 27th Asian Modern Art Exhibition

1990  The Artist Friendship Association of Asia Prize  in the 26th Asian Modern Art Exhibition

1989  New Artist Prize in the 25th Asian Modern Art Exhibition

Future events

Nov 2009 Art Fair in Singapore "Singapore International Art Fair 2009 (SIAF2009)" 27 - 29 Nov, 2009 Singapore Expo Hall4B Booth no. B19

Art exhibitions  

Solo exhibitions 

2008  Lotus Pond / Tu Do Art Gallery, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

2007  Mind Forest -4 / Kinokuni-ya, Siam Paragon, Bangkok, Thailand

2006  Recent Drowing / O Gallery UP・S, Tokyo, Japan

2005  Mind Forest -3 / Art Gallery of Xiamen University, Xiamen, The People's Republic of China

2004  Mind Forest -2 / Numthong Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand

2003  Mind Forest  / Akko Art Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand

          Recent Works / O Gallery, Tokyo,Japan                       

2002  Cat in Tokyo / Akko Art Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand

2001  Moon People in Phuket / Art & Culture Gallery, Phuket, Thailand

          Moon People 1991-2000 / Japan Cultural Center, Bangkok, Thailand

1999   Moon People -8/ O Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

1997   ARK -2 / Gallery Ark, Yokohama, Japan

1996   ARK / Gallery Ark , Yokohama, Japan

           Bear -2 / Gallery Olym, Tokyo, Japan

           Moon People -7 / Ginza Gallery House, Tokyo

1995   Bear / Gallery Q-S, Tokyo, Japan

            Moon People -6 / Ginza Gallery House, Tokyo, Japan　

1994    Moon People -5 / Taichung City Cultural Center, Taichung, Taiwan

1993    Moon People -4 / Gallery K, Tokyo, Japan

1992    Moon People -3 / Gallery K, Tokyo, Japan

1991   Moon People -2 / Sotetsu Gallery, Yokohama, Japan

           Moon People / Cast Iron Gallery, New York, USA

Selected Group exhibitions

2009  Oct-Nov “ ORIENT2009 – ASIA KAWAII in Singapore” Organised and Hosted by           

          Arty Art Gallery, Singapore and Initiated and co-promoted by Asian Artist Network, Japan  

          at Arty Art Gallery at the Arts House and Arty Art Gallery, Singapore  

2008  Face 2008 / Takanawa Gallery,  Tokyo, Japan

2007  The Agency for Cultural Affairs selection “DOMANI Art Exhibition”/ Togo Seiji Art Museum,　               Tokyo, Japan

           BRIDGE 2007 / Akko Art Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand

           ORIENT-ART CARNIVAL in ASEAN-/ Japan ASEAN Center, Tokyo, Japan

2006   ORIENT -Myanmar-Japan Rainbow Bridge-/ Myanmar National Museum, Yangon, Myanmar

2005   Seven contemporary Artists from Japan / Akko Art Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand

           ORIENT –Laos-Japan Rainbow Bridge- / Embassy of Laos, Tokyo, Japan

           New Images 2005 / Gallery Hibiki, Tokyo, Japan

2004   New Images 2004 / Gallery Hibiki, Tokyo, Japan

           ORIENT in ASEAN -Prayer for Peace- / Japan ASEAN Center, Tokyo, Japan

           Today's Figurative Paintings 2004 / Asahi Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

           WILLIAMSBURG SALON 2004 / W.A.H.Center, New York, USA

2003   ORIENT in Jakarta / Japan Cultural Center, Jakarta, Indonesia

           ORIENT -Color & Shape- 2003 / Moteki Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

            Three men show -Contemporary Paintings from Asia- / O Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

2003    WILLIAMSBURG SALON / W.A.H.Center, New York, USA

2002    ORIENT -Color & Shape-　2002   Moteki Gallery / Tokyo, Japan

            Today's Figurative Paintings 2002  / Asahi Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

2001    ORIENT -Colour & Shape-　2001 / Ginza Art Plaza, Tokyo, Japan

            Today's Figurative Paintings 2001 / Asahi Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

2000    Two persons show-Two Developments of Japanese style painting/ Inoue Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

            ORIENT -Color & Shape-2000 / Ginza Art Plaza, Tokyo, Japan

            Japan -Korea Contact Art Exhibition / Cheju Cultural Center, Cheju, Korea

2000    Today's Figurative Paintings / Asahi Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

1999   ORIENT -Color & Shape- 1999 / Ginza Art Plaza, Tokyo, Japan

           Japan -Korea Contact Art Exhibition / Kanagawa Prefecture Gallery, Yokohama, Japan

1999   Today's Figurative Paintings 1999 / Asahi Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

1998  Today's Great Painters in Japan / Shanghai City Art Museum, Shanghai, The People's Republic of

             China

           Vietnam International Art Exhibition / Ho Chi Minh City Art Museum, Ho Chi Minh , Vietnam

           Wind of Asia  / Ginza Gallery House, Tokyo, Japan

           Japan-Korea Contact Art Exhibition / Seoul Shinmun Gallery, Seoul, Korea

1997  Yasuda Art Foundation Contemporary Art Exhibition / Yasuda Art Foundation Togo Seiji Art

            Museum, Tokyo, Japan

           The 40th Yasui Prize Exhibition / Season Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan

           What is Japanese style painting ? / Ginza Gallery House, Tokyo, Japan

1994  Thai Asian Modern Art Exhibition / Sindhon Building, bangkok, Thailand

1995  Shanghai Asian Modern Art Exhibition / Shanghai　City Art Museum, Shanghai, The People's

           Republic of China

1994  Vietnam International Art Exhibition / Ho Chi Minh City Art Museum, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

          Wind of Asia / Chibagin Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

1992  China-Japan　International　Contact Art Exhibition /  National History Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

           Japan-Korea-China Contemporary Art Exhibition / Lotte Art Museum, Seoul, Korea

1991  The 2nd Japan-Korea-China Asian Modern Art Exhibition /  Korean Cultural Center, Tokyo,

           Japan

1990  Hong Kong Asian Modern Art Exhibition / Hong Kong Cultural Center, Hong Kong

1990  Three person show -Three Developments of Japanese style painting- / Sairin Gallery, Yokohama,

           Japan

          Japan-Korea-China Asian Modern Art Exhibition / Korean Cultural Center, Tokyo, Japan

1989  China-Japan International Contact Art Exhibition / Kaosiung Cultural Center, Kaosiung, Taiwan

Artist in Residence 

2005  Stayed in Fine Art department of Xiamen University, Xiamen, The People's Republic of China, as Lecturer

2002-2003  Stayed in Thai Art Department of Silapakorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, as Artist in Residence with scholarship of the Japanese government 

Selected publications

and

media coverage 

“ASIAN ART NEWS”   July/August 2008 　NEWS BRIEF

Kato Shojiro’s Art Exhibition - an Eastern Approach to Painting　 by Long Nghi 

“BANGKOK POST”    August 26, 2004
Something Old, Something New – Kato Shojiro in Numtong Gallery-   by Cheng Zu 

“Technique of Contemporary Japanese Style Painting”  by Zhang Xiaolu  2003
Beijing Craft and Fine Art Publishing Company, People’s Republic of China 

“Expression of the Contemporary Japanese Style Painting” 　by Zhang Xiaolu   2002
Hunan Fine Art Publishing Company, People’s Republic of China 

“BANGKOK POST”    August 9, 2001
Once more, without feeling – Kato Shojiro brings Nihonga to Bangkok, looking for stillness in motion -   by Cheng Zu 

“Art Observation”   February, 1998   The Central Academy of Fine Arts, People’s Republic of China
Eastern consciousness in Japanese Contemporary Art –Kato Shojiro & his works-

Collections 

National Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand

Art Centre of Silpakorn University , Bangkok, Thailand                                                                          

Japan Foundation Japan Culture centre Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand

Art Department of Xiamen University, Xiamen, China

Taichung City Hall, Taichung, Taiwan

Leading companies in Japan

Arty Art Gallery

Featuring 

"The more one pursues the possibility of the paintings, the more the definition of the paintings is broken and then, one leaves the world of the paintings. But I believe the paintings can touch and heal our hearts through the body, like a human-being.." (Kato Shojiro)
Kato has earned his M.F.A. in Japanese style painting at Graduate School of Tama Art University in 1978. 
"Japanese style painting" is coined by the inflow of Western painting after the period of isolation 130 years ago to distinguish Japanese traditional painting from Western painting. Historically, "Japanese style painting" can be defined as a unique painting developed in Japan, which originally came from China. The painting is drawn basically with Indian ink, shells, powdered mineral pigments, clay, gold leaves, glues, etc. It might be a primitive way but it can be the system for mutual sympathy between nature and human-beings.
Although Kato's style is based on Japanese style painting, his pursuit of painting is beyond both Japanese style and Western style. His paintings have simple structure but have impact and hidden power at the same time. He avoids to express the feeling directly, but tries to make the viewer's image concrete through the reality created by the contrast between the body and the colour.