BIO
Tamiko Kawata was born in Kobe, Japan in 1936, and at the age of 5 moved to Tokyo. After immigrating to the US in 1961, Tamiko learned to speak English at an Americanization school in DC. Soon after, in 1962 Tamiko moved to NYC, where she has lived since. Tamiko became a US citizen in 2004. She attended the class of Adda-Husted Andersen, a Danish silversmith, at the Craft Student League of YWCA where Tamiko later took her place for a teaching position until they closed the facilities in 2005. Tamiko continued to teach until 2015 at 92nd Street/YMHA until her husband’s dementia required personal care.
EDUCATION
BA Sculpture: Tsukuba University/Tokyo University of Education, Tokyo, Japan
SOLO SHOWS
2023 Solo: Alison Bradley Projects, New York, NY
2023 “Beyond Line, Beyond Edge”, Pollock Gallery, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
2018 ”Permutation”, Garvey Simon Gallery, New York, NY
2016 Installation Show “Flow of Life/Nagare”: Ruth S. Harley University Center Gallery, Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
2014 “Quiet Room”: Karina Kottova curator, Kotska Gallery, MeetFactory, Prague, CZ
2012 “Beyond Lines & Beyond Surface”, Kentler International Drawing Space, Brooklyn, NY
2012 “Passage: Tamiko Kawata at 2012”, Kobalt Gallery, Provincetown, MA
2011 ”Tamiko Kawata 2011”, Muriel Guepin Gallery, Brooklyn, NY.
2002 “Safety Pin Series: Recent & Collected Works”: Disjecta Gallery, Portland, OR
2001 “Passing Life –Four Waterfalls”, Site-specific installation based on survey on accumulation of toilet paper, The New York Times & Pantyhose,
Florence Lynch Gallery, NY, NY.
1999 “Transformations” for Sculpture Garden & Gallery Space LongHouse Reserve, East Hampton, NY.
1998 “Rain Forest”, Vibrant Gallery, New York, NY
1996 Invitational exhibition: Installation for the Green Windows, SOHO 20 Gallery, NYC, curator: Jane Ursula Harris
1991 “ Tamiko Kawata Recent Works”, Matsuya Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITION
2022 “Disquiet: Photography and Sculpture- Robert Palumbo/Tamiko Kawata”, Pamela Salisbury Gallery, Hudson, NY
2022 “Women in Making”, Curator Masa Hosojima, WhiteBox, NY
2022 “Hand Work/Art” Charlotte Street Gallery, Kansas, MO
2021/22 Perfect Day: Drugs and Art, Curated by Raul Zamudio and Juan Puntes, WhiteBox Annex @ ChaShaMa Space, New York, NY
2021 Search of Japan- Exploring East/West Arts & Design”, BrownGrotta Arts, Wilton, CT
2021 Robert Berry Gallery, Virtual Group Show, NY, NY
2021 “Midtown”, curated by Deric Carner: Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, NY, NY
2021 “Truth in the Face of Reality: Non-Objective Art in the 21st Century, New Show Featuring Rising Stars of Abstract Art”, Robert Berry Gallery, Virtual Show, NY
2020 Aesthetics in the Political, “Fifteen New York Japanese Women”, White Box Harlem, NY NY
2017/2018 “Outdoor Sculpture Biennial 2017-2018”: Adelphi University, Garden City, NY
2016 “Altered States: Seven Artists Exhibition”, Hewitt Gallery of Arts,
Marymount Manhattan College, New York, NY
2015 “American Academy for Arts & Letters: Invitational Exhibition for Paintings and Sculptures 2015”, American Academy for Arts and Letters, New York, NY
2015 “New Ways of Seeing: Cultural Hybridity and Aesthetic Liberty”, Eileen Jeng curator, Dorfsky Gallery, New York, NY
2014 "Interpreting Pins & Needles”: Suzan Shutan curator, Housatonic Museum of Art, Bridgeport, CT
2012 “Japanese Contemporary Paper Art”, Art Center ALTERA/Amateras,Sofia, Bulgaria
2011 “Environmental Concerns: Earth Matters: Newsday Fall & Newsday Sea Urchins”, Heckscher Museum of Art, Huntington, NY2000
2010 "American Academy for Arts & Letters: Invitational Exhibition for Paintings and Sculptures 2015”, Installation” Permutation- Two”, American Academy for Arts and Letters, New York, NY
2001 “Sixteen Asian American Artists”, University Art Gallery. Staller Center for the Arts, Stony Brook State University of New York, Stony Brook NY
2000 “August Grove for Four Seasons: Nature of Fiber”, outdoor installation, Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, Cazenovia, NY
2000 “Grove for Four Seasons: Nature of Fiber”, outdoor installation, Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, Cazenovia, NY
2000 “As If Alive: Animate Sculpture” New Jersey Center for Visual Arts, Summit, NJ
2000 “Elements 2000”, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island, NY
1999 “Contemporary Arts of New York State”, New York State Museum, Albany, NY
1998 “Staten Island Biennial Exhibition”, Staten Island Institute of Arts & Science Museum, SI, NY
1997 “Poetics of the Edge/Two Artists”, Grace Gallery, NY Technical College, CUNY, Brooklyn, NY
1997 “Women Show III,” Bullet Space, NYC
1996 “Order System Structure: NYFA Award Exhibition”, RCCA Art Center,Rensselaer County Council for the Arts, Troy, NY
1996 “Permutations”, MMC Gallery, Marymount College, NY, NY
1991 “Historical Sources: New Visions in Contemporary Metalsmithing”, Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
1986-1989 “Fiber R/Evolution International Exhibition”, Wisconsin/Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI
1979 “ Works of Women”, by UNESCO Art Committee, Paris, France
1978 “Small Works International: by Jack Lenor Larsen & Mildred Constantine British Craft Centre, London, England
AWARDS & FELLOWSHIPS
2002 -2023 Member of Elizabeth Foundation for Arts: Studio Center, New York, NY
2021 Ucross Art Residency, Ucross, Wyoming
2015 American Academy for Arts and Letters: 2015 Purchase Award
2014 Foundation for Contemporary Arts, Emergency grant to support “Quiet Room” Exhibition , New York, NY
2014 MeetFactory Art Foundation Award for “Solo Show and Residency”, Prague, Czech
2012 Williamsburg Art & Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY: Purchase Award from Harvest Exhibition
2006 Pollock/Krasner Foundation Grant, NY, NY
2005 NYFA Grant, New York Foundation for the Arts 2005 Grant for Gregory Millard Fellow NY, NY
2004 Serie Project for Screen Printmaking: Austin, TX
2002 McDowell Art Colony Residency Award, Petersborough, NH
2001 NYFA Grant, New York Foundation for the Arts, NY, NY
2001 Yaddo Art Colony: Louise Bourgeois Residency Award for a Sculptor, Saratoga Spring, NY
2000 Craft Alliance New York State Grant for New Project: NY
2000 CANYS Grant for New Project: Craft Alliance of New York State Blue Mountain Center for the Arts
1999 Edward Albee Art Center Residency Award, Montauk, NY
1998 Ruth Chenven Foundation Grant for New Project, NY, NY
1997 The Millay Colony for the Arts Residency Award, Austeritz, NY
1997 ESCA (Empire State Craft Alliance of New York State) Grant for New Project, NY
1991 ESCA (Empire State Craft Alliance of New York State) Grant for New Project, NY
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
2022 LongHouse Reserve, East Hampton, NY
2020 Helene Falcon Art Collection, Boston, MA
2016 Honolulu Contemporary Art Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii
2013 Racine Art Museum, Racine, WI
2013 Williamsburg Art & Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY
2013 PREC Institute, Tokyo, Japan
2012 Ishiguro Art Collection: Tokyo, Japan
2012 Francine D'Olimpio, Kobalt Gallery, Provincetown, MA
2011 LongHouse Reserve, East Hampton, NY
2010 Ishiguro Art Collection, Tokyo, Japan
2010 Lafcadio Hearn/Yakumo Koizumi Art Museum, Matsue, Japan
2009 Racine Art Museum, Racine, WI
2008 Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal, Canada
2008 Williamsburg Art and Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY
2007 Philip & Shelley Aarons Art Collection, LI, NY
2007 DM Contemporary Art Gallery for Permanent Collection, LI, NY
2006 Museum for Arts & Design/MAD Museum, NY, NY 2004
2006 Jack Lenor Larsen Private Collection, New York, NY.
2002 Yusuke Aida Collection, Tokyo, Japan
1999 LongHouse Reserve Permanent Collection, East Hampton, NY
1999 Lloyd Catsen Collection, San Francisco, CA
1999 Jack Lenor Larsen Collection, New York, NY
1991 Yusuke Aida Collection, Tokyo, Japan
1986 Davis Brody & Bond Architects, New York, NY
1982 PREC Institute, Tokyo, Japan
1978 Buenno Premesela Art Collection, Amsterdam, Holland
CATALOG/PUBLICATION: AFTER 2000
2023 Pamphlet for solo show: "Beyond Edge, Beyond Surface," Pollock Gallery, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
2022 Review by Masaaki Noda on Gekkan Gallery January issue in Japan
2012 Inclusion of “Newsday Fall” works in publication of “To Life: ECO ART in pursuit of Sustainable planet”, by Andrew Brown, Hudson and Thames
2012 Book: 500 Paper Projects 2012: curated by Gene McHugh, New York, NY
2011 Catalog: Tamiko Kawata ”Beyond Lines/Beyond Surface”, Kentler International Drawing Space, Brooklyn, NY
2011 Catalog: “Japanese Contemporary Paper Art”, Art Center ALTERA, Daniela Todorova Curator, sponsored by Embassy of Japan, Sofia, Bulgaria
2011 Catalog: ”Transcendental Vision”, Anton Gallery/Celadon Inc, Monterey, CA
2011 ”Transcendental Vision”, Anton Gallery/Celadon Inc, Monterey, CA
2008 Prints: “Office Space”, New Art Center, Elizabeth Duffy curator, Newtonville, MA
2008 Catalog: Second Lives: REMIXING THE ORDINARY to INAUGURATE Museum of ARTS & DESIGN”, an opening exhibition at Columbus Circle location: curated by David McFadden, Museum of Arts & Design, New York, NY
2006 Site Specific 2006: Karen Shaw curator for Islip Museum: Carriage House, East I slip, NY
2000 Sculpture Magazine: May 2000 issue, FOCUS section
2000 Catalog: As If Alive: Animate Sculpture by Sara Henry Corrington: Professor Drew University
2000 Catalog: Nature of Fiber by Stone Quarry Hill Sculpture Park
2000 New York Times: Long Island Section, Art Reviews by Helen A. Harrison