Hiroko Koshino travels to Paris several times a year. One day, during her stay in Paris, she met a man called Aki Kuroda (autonym: Akihiko Kuroda). Kuroda is from Kansai region of Japan (born in Kyoto, 1944), just like Koshino herself. He is a contemporary artist who has been living in Paris for 44 odd years. Koshino had heard of his name for long, however, when she actually visited his studio, she was impressed by Kuroda’s wide range of work styles, significance of the works, as well as his friends from all walks of life. Koshino questioned herself if she can think of any Japanese person who has adopted himself/herself to Paris and France just like Kuroda has while being successful.
Kuroda’s studio is near the Montparnasse area, where “?cole de Paris” artists used to have gathered. During his coffee break, Kuroda meets people at a cafe, where he enjoys chatting, making jokes, and making sketches. Cafe is where he gets inspiration and is the most suitable place for drawing rough ideas. It is therefore fair to say that the concept “Space Garden = Cosmogarden” is created at a cafe. Cafe is an important meeting spot and that the people’s encounters have been generating the works. Humans may be trivial existence amid vast universe; however, that trivial humans meet to one another, think, act, and create a garden where the humans live together. This is what Kuroda thinks the “Space Garden = Cosmogarden”.
For Hiroko Koshino, who has gone through various experiences while developing her own creation, resonated with Kuroda’s thinking. It did not take long before the two artists hit it off and came across an idea of having an exhibition together. For Kuroda, this is the first full-fledged exhibition in many years in Japan. Please find out how he has developed his ideas of “Space Garden = Cosmogarden” through collaboration with Hiroko Koshino, another unique creator. Please look forward to their exciting “spark-sending” collaboration.
Aki Kuroda（autonym: Akihiko Kuroda）
Born in Kyoto in 1944
In 1980, Aki Kuroda exhibited his works at Biennale de Paris. Shortly after the exhibition, he made an exclusive contract with Maeght Gallery; a gallery from which Matisse, Miro, and Giacometti became famous. Kuroda has held myriads of solo exhibitions throughout Europe. When he held his solo exhibition at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo in 1993, he was the youngest artist as an exhibitor of the museum. In 1994, he participated in the S?o Paulo Biennale, where his art was highly acclaimed globally. Kuroda is active in collaborating with architects such as Tadao Ando, Richard Rogers, along with artists from other fields.
Hiroko Koshino
Born in Osaka in 1937
Koshino has been keen on art and traditional arts since childhood. She joined the art club while in Kishiwada High School and studied painting. She moved to Tokyo and studied under the master fashion illustrator Masao Hara while attending Bunka Fashion College. Not only has she been working actively as a leading fashion designer, she has also been committed herself in ink paintings and calligraphy. In recent years, Koshino has been exploring various media including fabrics to challenge new methods and to widen ways of expression.