Lot Essay
Kikuhata Mokuma was born in Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture. He studied at the Fukuoka Prefectural Central High School from 1950-53. One of his earliest exhibitions was in 1956, a group show of artists engaged in mural projects. From 1958-61 he exhibited with the Yomiuri Independent Artists' association. His work in the 1961 Experiment in Contemporary Art exhibition at the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo brought recognition to the young artist for his controversial work. Kikuhata was in many group exhibitions at this time including Trends of Contemporary Art in 1964 at the National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto, and Nine Japanese Artists at the Staempfli Gallery in New York in 1965.
In 1964 Kikuhata was commissioned by the architect Shinichiro Yoshihara to design the outer wall of the Kanagawa Prefectural Electricity Building. He received the Stralem Award at the International Young Artists Exhibition in Tokyo in 1964, and in 1965 he won the award at the 2nd exhibition of Contemporary Art at the Nagaoka Museum.
In 1967 the artist was represented in exhibitions at the Fukuoka Prefectural Cultural Center, and in 1976 at the Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art. In 1981 and 1982 his work was shown at the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo, in 1984 at the Gumma Prefectural Museum of Fine Art, and in 1985 at the Kanagawa Prefectural Gallery, the National Museum of Modern Art, India, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, England. In 1986 he was in an exhibition entitled Japon des Avant Gardes 1910-70 at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, which was a comprehensive view of Japanese art forms of the period. Recent group shows are Prospects of Contemporary Art, A Celebration of Painting at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in 1989 and The Art of Collage/Assemblage from the Museum Collection in 1990 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum.
A one-man exhibition Slave Genealogy was held at the Minami Gallery in Tokyo in 1962 and, in 1964, a series of Roulette paintings, was exhibited at the same gallery. In 1981 and 1989 he had solo shows entitled Objet-Dessin at the Fukuoka Art Museum. Additional one-person exhibitions have been at the Ban Gallery in Osaka in 1984, the Iwataya Department Store in Fukuoka in 1985, the Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art in 1988, and the Tokyo Gallery in 1983, 1986, and 1990.
Kikuhata is represented in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
In 1964 Kikuhata was commissioned by the architect Shinichiro Yoshihara to design the outer wall of the Kanagawa Prefectural Electricity Building. He received the Stralem Award at the International Young Artists Exhibition in Tokyo in 1964, and in 1965 he won the award at the 2nd exhibition of Contemporary Art at the Nagaoka Museum.
In 1967 the artist was represented in exhibitions at the Fukuoka Prefectural Cultural Center, and in 1976 at the Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art. In 1981 and 1982 his work was shown at the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo, in 1984 at the Gumma Prefectural Museum of Fine Art, and in 1985 at the Kanagawa Prefectural Gallery, the National Museum of Modern Art, India, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, England. In 1986 he was in an exhibition entitled Japon des Avant Gardes 1910-70 at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, which was a comprehensive view of Japanese art forms of the period. Recent group shows are Prospects of Contemporary Art, A Celebration of Painting at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in 1989 and The Art of Collage/Assemblage from the Museum Collection in 1990 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum.
A one-man exhibition Slave Genealogy was held at the Minami Gallery in Tokyo in 1962 and, in 1964, a series of Roulette paintings, was exhibited at the same gallery. In 1981 and 1989 he had solo shows entitled Objet-Dessin at the Fukuoka Art Museum. Additional one-person exhibitions have been at the Ban Gallery in Osaka in 1984, the Iwataya Department Store in Fukuoka in 1985, the Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art in 1988, and the Tokyo Gallery in 1983, 1986, and 1990.
Kikuhata is represented in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.