CV - aya kawato

EN / JP

川人綾 / Aya Kawato

Aya Kawato was born in Nara in 1988. Along with her family she later moved to Kyoto, where she grew up. Influenced by her father, who is a neuroscientist, she was exposed to the truth that we see this world through our brain. After studying traditional Japanese textile in Kyoto, she moved to Tokyo to study at Tokyo University of the Arts, wherein she participated in an exchange program at École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts in Paris; she further went on to complete the doctoral program in Intermedia Art in 2019. In line with the research theme of “Controlled and Uncontrolled,” she has been focusing to create abstract grid paintings. In these paintings, she combines the knowledge and expertise that she has gained through her background in Japanese traditional textile with the findings of the modern neuroscientific studies. She has been awarded with many art prizes, including that of the Grand Prix at Rêver 2074, the art competition co-hosted by COMITÉ COLBERT and Tokyo University of the Arts in 2017, and the Nomura Art Prize in 2018.

Education
2019 Ph.D, Intermedia Art, Graduate school of Tokyo University of the Arts
2015 MFA, Intermedia Art, Graduate School of Tokyo University of the Arts
2014 École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-arts de Paris, Student Exchange Program
2011 BFA, Textile Course, Faculty of Art, Kyoto Seika University

Solo Exhibitions
2023
project N 89 KAWATO Aya | Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery (Tokyo, Japan)

2022
Kawato Aya: Diagonal Dimension | The Triangle, Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art (Kyoto, Japan)

2021
Aya Kawato Exhibition My Grid Paintings: 2016-2021 | Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store Art Contemporary Gallery (Tokyo, Japan)
織(Ori) Scopic | imura art gallery (Kyoto, Japan)

2020
Tell Me What You See | Pierre-Yves Caër Gallery (Paris, France)

2019
Aya Kawato Solo Exhibition | AIFA (Geneva, Switzerland)
Controlled / Uncontrolled | Pierre-Yves Caër Gallery (Paris, France)

2018
Aya Kawato Solo Exhibition | imura art gallery (Kyoto, Japan)

2017
C/U_CCLXXX-CXC_(w)_I | Shonandai MY Gallery (Tokyo, Japan)

Group Exhibitions
2023
Nippon Mania | Kunsthaus Kaufbeuren (Kaufbeuren, Germany)
Tell Me What You See by imura art gallery | CADAN Yurakucho (Tokyo, Japan)

2022
Perception | AIFA (Verbier, Switzerland)
When Tide Become a Form | Kagoo (Osaka, Japan)

2021
AIFA Gallery Opening | AIFA (Verbier, Switzerland)
CADAN ROPPONGI presented by Audi | Hills café/Space, Roppongi Hills (Tokyo, Japan)
COLOR IN ART | Shinjuku Takashimaya Art Gallery (Tokyo, Japan)

2020
Intermedia Art 2020 Apparation | The Chinretsukan Gallery, The University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts (Tokyo, Japan)
Break Zenya in Daikanyama Hillside Terrace – Run through the times! 38 artists selected by Tomio Koyama – | Daikanyama Hillside Terrace (Tokyo, Japan)
Crossing Paintings | imura art gallery (Kyoto, Japan)
Sukikei / New View – Contemporary art in Japan at a time of transition – | Nihombashi Mitsukoshi (Tokyo, Japan), Mitsubishi Estate Artium, Fukuoka Mitsukoshi (Fukuoka, Japan)

2019
Sukikei / New View – Contemporary art in Japan at a time of transition – | Hankyu Umeda Main Store (Osaka, Japan)
Drawing: Manner | Takuro Someya Contemporary Art (Tokyo, Japan)

2018
Tokyo University of the Arts Doctoral Program Final Exhibition 2018 | Tokyo University of the Arts (Tokyo, Japan)
Kyoto Nippon Festival 2018 | Kitano Tenmangu・JR Kyoto Isetan (Kyoto, Japan)

2017
Collect 2 | Micheko Galerie (Munich, Germany)
Rêver 2074 | The University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts (Tokyo, Japan)
Small Works – selected by Masaharu Makuuchi / ex-chamber museum | Art Space Morgenrot (Tokyo, Japan)
The 13th Gunma Biennale for Young Artists | The Museum of Modern Art, Gunma (Gunma, Japan)

2016
Shonandai Project WILL | Shonandai MY Gallery (Tokyo, Japan)
The 33th Mitsubishi Corporation Art Gate Program | Eye of Gyre (Tokyo, Japan)
Atlas 2016 | Tokyo University of the Arts, Toride Campus (Ibaraki, Japan)
Independent 2016, Tagboat Art Fes | Hulic Hall (Tokyo, Japan)
The 11th Tagboat Award | IID Gallery, Institute of Design (Tokyo, Japan)
The 30th Mitsubishi Corporation Art Gate Program | Eye of Gyre (Tokyo, Japan)

2015
The 10th Geidai Art Plaza Awards Exhibition | Geidai Art Plaza, Tokyo University of the Arts (Tokyo, Japan)
Tokyo Design Week 2015, 100 Creators Exhibition | In front of the Meijijingu Gaien Memorial Picture Gallery (Tokyo, Japan)
SICF16 | Spiral Hall (Tokyo, Japan)
Tokyo University of the Arts The 63rd Graduation Works Exhibitions | Tokyo University of the Arts (Tokyo, Japan)

2014
WIP 2014 | Tokyo University of the Arts, Toride Campus (Ibaraki, Japan)
You’ve gone too far | Atelier Vilmouth, École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts de Paris (Paris, France)

2012
Preliminary Review Exhibition 2012 | Tokyo University of the Arts, Toride Campus (Ibaraki, Japan)
The 16th Flag-art Exhibition in Gifu | Kanda-machi street (Gifu, Japan)

2011
Atlas 2011 | Tokyo University of the Arts, Toride Campus (Ibaraki, Japan)
Kyoto Seika University Graduation Works Exhibition 2011 | Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art (Kyoto, Japan)
Ensemble of Yuko Hasegawa + 16 Students | Kyoto Seika University Gallery Fleur (Kyoto, Japan)

2010
Wakuwaku Kyoto Project | Former Rissei Elementary School (Kyoto, Japan)
9 | Shin-bi (Kyoto, Japan)

2008
1968+40 Mode Make-up | Kenninji (Kyoto, Japan)

Art Fairs
2023
Art Fair Tokyo 2023 | Tokyo International Forum (Tokyo, Japan)
(un)fair 2023 | Superstudio Maxi (Milan, Italy)
Meet Your Art Fair 2023 “Re:Factory” | Terrada Art Complex (Tokyo, Japan)

2022
Art Collaboration Kyoto 2022 | Kyoto International Conference Center (Kyoto, Japan)
Asia Now 2022 | Monnaie de Paris (Paris, France)
Art Fair Tokyo 2022 | Tokyo International Forum (Tokyo, Japan)
Art Basel Online Viewing Rooms: 2021

2021
Positions Berlin Art Fair | Tempelhof Airport (Berlin, Germany)

2020
artKYOTO 2020 | Kyoto National Museum (Kyoto, Japan)
Galeristes 2020 | Carreau du Temple (Paris, France)
artTNZ 2020 | Terrada Art Complex II (Tokyo, Japan)

2019
artKYOTO 2019 | Nijo-jo Castle (Kyoto, Japan)
Art Fair Tokyo 2019 | Tokyo International Forum (Tokyo, Japan)

2018
Asia Now 2018 | 9 Avenue Hoche (Paris, France)
Art Fair Tokyo 2018 | Tokyo International Forum (Tokyo, Japan)

2017
KOGEI Art Fair Kanazawa 2017 | Kumu Kanazawa the Share Hotels (Kanazawa, Japan)
FIAC 2017 | Grand Palais (Paris, France)
Art on Paper 2017 | Pier 36 (New York, USA)

Collections
CHANEL K.K. (Tokyo, Japan)
Chishima Real Estate Co., Ltd. (Osaka, Japan)
The University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts (Tokyo, Japan)

Commission Works
2022
Auberge Tebiro 1732 (Amami Oshima, Japan)

2021
Longchamp Vienna (Vienna, Austria)

2020
Meta Open Arts Commission / Facebook (Tokyo, Japan)
The Hotel Seiryu Kyoto Kiyomizu (Kyoto, Japan)

2019
LONGCHAMP / La Maison Ginza (Tokyo, Japan)
Kyoto Yura Hotel Mgallery by Sofitel (Kyoto, Japan)

Awards
2018
Nomura Art Prize 2018

2017
Mitsubishi Corporation Art Gate Program Scholarship 2017
Rêver 2074, Grand Prix
The 13th Gunma Biennale for Young Artists, Finalist

2016
Japan Arts Foundation Scholarship 2016
Independent 2016 Tagboat Art Fes, Shonandai MY Gallery Prize, Katsumi Yamato Gallery Prize
The 11th Tagboat Award, Tomio Koyama Prize
The 33th Mitsubishi Corporation Art Gate Program, Finalist
The 30th Mitsubishi Corporation Art Gate Program, Finalist

2015
The 10th Geidai Art Plaza Awards Exhibition, Finalist

2012
The 16th Flag-art Exhibition in Gifu, Finalist