23. Sugiura Yasuyoshi 杉浦 康益

Sugiura Yasuyoshi was born in Tokyo in 1949 and studied ceramics at Tokyo University of the Arts. After setting up a studio on the Manazuru Peninsula in Kanagawa, he was inspired by the environment and began to work more and more realistically.  His first interstitial interest, already during his student days was focused on stones and rocks which he rendered in a realistic manner. This led to non-functional installation series titled "Ceramic Stones" and "Ceramic Forests," each inspired by the natural world surrounding his studio in Manazuru near Atami and made by stacking countless ceramic pillars and blocks on top of each other to resemble a forest of trees. After these abstract installations, Sugiura began sculpting realistic depictions of flowers and nuts, both in full bloom and withered, a reminder of the environment in which he grew up.  By studying them almost microscopically and depicting them realistically to the extreme, he succeeded in capturing the moment when the essence of his subjects emerges most powerfully, enhancing their presence and vitality, even that of decaying sunflowers. His precise technique perfectly matched the delicacy of his subjects. The resulting sculptures led to an award at the First Annual Paramita Museum Ceramic Art Exhibition and a travel award from Musée Tomo to study in West Africa. Over the years, Sugiura has participated in numerous national and international exhibitions. His sculptures can now be found in major museum collections such as the Brooklyn Museum in New York, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo and the Portland Art Museum.