HONMA H ID EA K I

This exhibition of sculpture by Honma Hideaki presents a breath-

takingly powerful and significant range of his sculptures from the early

1990s to the present. One of the greatest joys for me as an art dealer

is watching and encouraging younger artists like Hideaki in their artis-

tic development. Celebrating Honma Hideaki’s twentieth year in the

world of bamboo art with his first United States solo show gives me

great pleasure.

Hideaki lives and works on the remote rugged island of Sado off

the Japan seaside of Honshu. The island is dominated by two moun-

tain ranges descending to a broad plain of rice fields. Sado is home

to an abundance of sea and land bird life. Hundreds of ancient tem-

ples and gardens are hidden in the landscape, and a plethora of old

style houses dot the landscape. Hideaki enthusiastically participates

in Sado’s rich cultural life as a member of a dance and drumming

group performing at local festivals. This exuberance for local life man-

ifests itself in his art making.

Hideaki’s bird series skillfully portrays in an abstractive manner,

without being overly realistic, birds he views perched on trees and

rocks along the seashore. His ability to reflect this part of the natural

world through bamboo is unrivaled. Another series of sculptures draws

their movement from the sea breezes blowing across the plains. These

evolve further into powerful knot forms.

Graceful I I 2001,13 x 11 x 31 inches (left)

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In his sculptures, Hideaki draws upon techniques learned from his

father Honma Kazuaki, an extraordinarily gifted and respected bam-

boo artist. All bamboo artists confront considerable obstacles in estab-

lishing their individual artistic expression, but the challenges are even

more so with having such an accomplished father. The arduous process

of learning how to form well-crafted bamboo baskets and sculpture

always involves painstakingly learning the basic techniques over sev-

eral years, and by making copies of the teacher’s work. Then, like an

adolescent severing the secure family bonds, starting to break away,

using their skills in new ways. Hideaki’s diligent pursuit of drawing as

a starting point for creating his sculpture is a key element in his artis-

tic maturation. He succeeds in establishing his independent voice

through his passionate love of bamboo, his mastery of techniques,

and a strong determination to communicate his life and world through

the bamboo medium.

Robert T. Coffland

Silence 2004, 15 x 91/2 x 30 inches (right)

Page 6: Shore II 1995, 20 x 10 x 37 inches

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In chanoyu, the tea ceremony, we have the phrase ichigo ichie,meaning “meeting only once in a lifetime— treasure every encounter,for it will never recur”. I think this term describes where I am now,which goes back to the encounters with bamboo art, Robert Coffland,Mr. Cotsen, collectors and TAI Gallery staff. All gave me the energyfor the creation of my work. My interactions with collectors have in-spired and enabled me to continue working over the past 20 years.

I recall the time I returned to Sado more than twenty years ago aftermy grandfather’s death to succeed my family’s tradition of bambooart. My father, Kazuaki, and senior staff became my teachers induct-ing me into the creation of bamboo art. In the first few years I onlylearned to split and chip rather than weave bamboo. After the thirdyear, I gradually created my own works, participated in local exhibi-tions, and often received awards. Later at the national level I chal-lenged myself by applying to the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition and wasaccepted fifteen times.

In the process of producing a work there are a lot of encounters:with a piece of bamboo, the creative idea, using the skill to make it,the completed work itself. I really feel thankful for all these encounters,almost like fate.

In creating works, I consider many angles to get an idea, makerough drawings, and review them again and again before making afull-size drawing. For a single piece of work, I may make tens to hun-dreds of drawings. The fabrication process differs for each work —some require special workmanship in shaping, others in the weaving.There is no set formula to follow and complications can occur thatchallenges me before a work is completed. A nerve-fraying, painstak-ing process is required to create a sculpture—my child.

Lastly, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Robert Cofflandand all the staff of TAI Gallery for offering me such a wonderful oppor-tunity to have this 20-year retrospective as my first solo show in theUnited States.

Honma Hideaki

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Knot IV 2006, 29 x 10 x 181/2 inches

Knot III 2006,15 x 11 x 34 inches (right)

Knot V 2006

26 x 15 x 181/2 inches

Uplifting 1993, 24 x16 x 29 inches

Dance of the Phoenix III 2003,17 x 7 x 31 inches (right)

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Warm Spring 1999, 36 x 81/2 x 13 inches

Color of Light 2006, 20 x 10 x 37 inches (right)

Rolling Image 2007, 23 x 9 x 181/2 inches

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Knot II 2006, 26 x 14 x 19 inches

HONMA H ID EA K I

1959 Born in Hatano-cho, Sado-gun, Niigata Prefecture1990 Admitted for first time to Niigata Prefecture Arts Exhibition

(thereafter admitted 4 times)Winner of Governors Award at Niigata Contemporary Craft ArtsExhibition (thereafter won 3 other awards: Niigata Newspaper Award,Niigata Mayor’s Award, and Niigata Chamber of Commerce Award)

1991 Admitted for first time to Japan Contemporary Craft Arts Exhibition(thereafter admitted 10 times)

1992 Admitted for first time to Nitten, Japan Fine Arts Exhibition(thereafter admitted 6 times)Winner of Encouragement Award at Niigata Prefecture Arts Exhibition

1993 Winner of Encouragement Award at Niigata Prefecture Arts Exhibition1994 Winner of Contemporary Art Award at Japan Contemporary Craft

Arts Exhibition1996 Winner of Niigata Prefecture Art Award at Niigata Prefecture Arts Exhibition2001 Exhibited in “Bamboo Fantasies”, TAI Gallery, Santa Fe2002 Exhibited in “The Next Generation”, University of Arkansas2003 Special Demonstration and Exhibition at SOFA Chicago

Special Demonstration and Exhibition at International Asian Art Fair,New York City

2004 Exhibited at the New York Asian FairExhibited in “Contemporary Japanese Bamboo Art” at the RichmondVisual Arts Center, Richmond, Virginia

2006 Exhibited in “Power & Delicacy: Master Works of Japanese Bamboo Art”at TAI GalleryExhibited in “Hin: The Quiet Beauty of Japanese Art”, Grinnell College, IowaExhibited in “Hin: The Quiet Beauty of Japanese Art”, Chicago Cultural CenterExhibited at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts

2007 Exhibited in “The Next Generation” Exhibition at the Asian Art Museum,San Francisco

Member of the Contemporary Craft Artists Association

Head of the Niigata Contemporary Craft Artists Association

Graceful 1996,18 x 14 x 29 inches (right)

Back Cover: Sunlight Streaming Through Trees 1995,18 x 8 x 261/2 inches

Design by Michael Motley • Photography by Gary Mankus

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