Biography
Exhibitions
Selected Exhibitions
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2021
RE:OPENING CEREMONY, A Lighthouse called Kanata, Tokyo, Japan
3331 Art Fair, 3331 Arts Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
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2022
TEFAF Maastricht, The Netherlands
A Lighthouse called Kanata New York Pop-Up, USA
Seattle Art Fair, USA
International Art Festival BIWAKO BIENNALE 2022, Shiga prefecture, Japan
RAKUCHU KANSEI Art Exhibition Kyoto 2022, Japan
5th Triennale of Kogei in Kanazawa 2022 Kogei World Competition in Kanazawa, Japan
Awards
2020 Selected, Nitten Fine Arts Exhibition
2022 Selected, 5th Triennale of Kogei in Kanazawa 2022 Kogei World Competition in Kanazawa
Public Collections
亘章吾
Shogo
Watari
Shogo
Watari
Shogo
Watari
Watari
Profile
- 1987 Born in Kyoto, Japan
- 2014 Shinrin Takumi Juku
- 2016 Joseph Walsh Studio
- 2019 Nakagawa Mokkougei Hira Studio
- 2020 Founds own studio in Kyoto, lives and works in Kyoto
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01 Exhibitions More
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02 Awards More
About
the ArtistAbout
the Artist
Hailing from a family long associated with the forests of Kyoto and Nara, Shogo Watari (b. 1987 –) is one of the most captivating young artists in wood to recently emerge from Japan, an island nation whose art and culture is deeply entwined with the natural beauty of wood itself. Virtually 70% of Japan’s terrain continues to be covered in forest, and unlike Western cultures, our religious architecture such as temples and shrines, as well as our traditional statues and paintings, were often made with wood. Timber and the beauty of wood flows through the veins of Watari, and it is within this context that the young artist marks his international debut with Kanata.
Having first receiving his formal training in woodworking at the Shinrin Takumi Juku workshop, perhaps Japan’s leading training center for wood crafts, then working directly under Joseph Walsh’s supervision at the Joseph Walsh Studio in Ireland for 3 years, and then returning to Kyoto to work under the reputable wood studio of traditional “oke” (Japanese buckets) maker Shuji Nakagawa, Watari marked his solo debut as an independent artist in 2021, and has already received a selection at the Nitten Japan Fine Art Exhibition in 2020 as well as receiving a Juror’s Prize at the 3331 Art Fair in Tokyo, Japan in 2021. TEFAF 2022, however, will be the first time that Watari’s sculptures in wood will be physically exhibited in Europe.
