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Hiroko Imada

Hiroko Imada

Slade School of Fine Art (BA Fine Art and Higher Diploma of Fine Art , 1992)

Born in Tokyo, Hiroko Imada studied at the Tokyo Zokei University and later at the Slade School of Fine Art (University College London). Her degree show in 1992 caught the attention of The Times art critic David Cohen, who described her work as ‘heralding an impressive new talent’. In 1992, Imada was awarded the British Council Fellowship for her achievements at the Slade. She is now based in London.

From her early youth, Imada’s favoured subjects have been ‘Nature’ and ‘Dance and Movement’, and although she likes to work in various different media such as printmaking, painting, and site specific installation, a strong sense of continuity runs through all her works.

She has exhibited throughout Europe and Japan, and a number of her exhibitions have been featured at Japan-related events and in the official magazine of the Embassy of Japan. Her solo exhibition in 2013 at the Riverside Studios Gallery in London, for example, was part of the ‘Japan 400’ event which celebrated the 400th anniversary of Japanese-British relations.
Her solo exhibition in 2015 was produced by the Children’s Art Centre Pessi, in Vantaa, Finland, and was broadcast by Yle TV News. Her print works have been featured in the prestigious Saatchi Art Online collection.
In 2015 she was commissioned by the British luxury phone manufacturer Vertu to produce an art work for their new phone, Aster Yosegi Wood (made in a limited edition of 50). The whole process of creation was filmed and used for the advertising campaign.
In 2017, Imada created a giant paper wave interactive installation work at the Great Court of the British Museum as a part of 'Hokusai, beyond the Great Wave’ exhibition official event - Hokusai: Making Waves.
In 2019, she was comissioned by Universal Pictures to create a painting for a specific scene and her painting appears in the film “Fast and Furious 9” which was premired in June 2021.
In 2021, Imada created an iinstallation work at The Wave Coventry and an interactive installation work with pupils in Coventry at the Coventry Cathedral as a part of the event of Japan-UK Season of Culture.
In the same year, she was commissioned by the British Museum to create a woodblock print inspired by Hokusai’s drawing and its process was recorded to create a film to run at the exhibition ‘Hokusai: The Great Picture Book of Everything’ from 30 September 2021 to January 2022 at the British Museum.
In 2022, she has created a Japanese woodblock print in colour inspired by one of the piece from the Royal Collection and its process was filmed and presented at 'Japan: Courts and Culture' exhibition from 8 April 2022 to 26 February 2023 at the Miller Learning Room, The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace. The film was also used for the multimedia guide at the exhibition.
Most recently in November 2022, the British shoe brand Dr. Martens commissioned to create a woodblock print of their new product logo “Dr. Martens X The Met" (Hokusai), and its process filmed at her studio. Imada herself appears in their promotion film.

Imada also specialises in teaching Japanese woodblock printing, papermaking, folded screen making, and hanging scroll making. In 2000 she established the Japanese woodblock printing course at the British Museum and in 2017 at the Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts, and has been teaching it in both organizations regularly since then. She has taught Japanese art related workshops at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin each year since 2008.

Imada has works in the collections of the Vantaa Art Museum, Finland; the Youth Foundation, Oporto, Portugal; the British School in Rome, Italy; Berlin City Library, Germany; Children and Youth Art Library, Germany; Central Japan Railway Company, Japan; Tokyo Electric Power Company; Nisshinbo Trade Union, Japan; University College London, UK; Telehouse London, UK; as well as many other public and private collections.

Press

Publication Title Job Title Date
Coventry Observer Japanese paper art installed at The Wave Coventry Fri, 06/18/2021
https://freshonair.co.uk Japanese artist celebrates Olympics with symbolise artwork Wed, 06/09/2021
thewavecoventry.com Japanese artwork unveiled at The Wave during the year as UKCity of Culture Tue, 06/08/2021
Sway Gallery London Interview with Artists Interview with Artists Vol.5: Hiroko Imada Tue, 03/09/2021
Londonist Things to do today in London: Tue 30 October Tue, 10/30/2018
FAD magazine The Top 7 Art Exhibitions to see in London this week Sun, 10/28/2018
Yle News Online (Finland) Artist puts Japanese stamp on Finnish for forest scenes Wed, 09/23/2015
Diverse Japan Art Exhibition Review: Works on Nature & Dance/Movement by Hiroko Imada Thu, 03/21/2013
Metro London Tonight: Exhibition Mon, 03/18/2013
Vavtaan Sanomat Japanilaistaide nakyy Vanyaa Sat, 04/28/2012
Japan (Embassy of Japan Newsletter) Illuminated the art go the woodblock print Fri, 08/01/2003
Newbury Weekly News Shedding light on tradition Thu, 01/24/2002
Newbury Weekly News Traditional art of illumination Thu, 01/24/2002
The Independent Art Private View Sat, 12/15/2001
Japan (Embassy of Japan Newsletter) A Celebration of Japan in Darlington Tue, 11/20/2001
Darlington and Stockton Times Take a break and see the light Fri, 11/09/2001
Derby Evening Telegraph A chip off the old woodblock Fri, 07/20/2001
Japan (Embassy of Japan Newsletter) Hiroko Imada in Residence at Queen's Elizabeth Sixth Form College Tue, 01/25/2000
Japan (Embassy of Japan Newsletter) Hiroko Imada in Residence at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College Tue, 01/25/2000
Darlington & Stockton Times Wishes take wings Fri, 01/14/2000
Evening Gazette Event Fri, 01/14/2000
The Northern Echo Paperweight Champion Thu, 01/13/2000
The Northern Echo Eyes from the East on Japanese paperwork Sat, 01/08/2000
Evening Gazette Gallery's turning Japanese Fri, 01/07/2000
Darlington & Stockton Times Talks on the art of making paper Fri, 01/07/2000
Evening Gazette Join paper chase Fri, 01/07/2000
The Herald & Post Hiroko and students share show Tue, 01/04/2000
Darlington & Stockton Times Paper mates Fri, 11/26/1999
Darlington and Stockton Times Stuff of fiction, but fibre Fri, 11/19/1999
The Northern Echo Old and new skills Wed, 11/17/1999
The Northern Echo Old and new join forces in college's paper project Thu, 11/11/1999
Jordan Times Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts; International Participation Wed, 07/22/1998
Japan (Embassy of Japan Newsletter) Young Japanese Artist's Residency Wed, 03/18/1998
Newbury Weekly News Artist takes up new residency Thu, 05/01/1997
Leader Falmouth Sat, 06/03/1995
The West Briton and Royal Cornwall Gazette Through Eastern eyes... Thu, 05/25/1995
Falmouth/Penryn Reader Japanese artist's exhibition Sat, 05/20/1995
Falmouth Packet Japanese sculptor spearheads college programme Thu, 05/18/1995
Western Morning News Orient expressed Tue, 05/16/1995
The Stage Hanjo Thu, 03/30/1995
What's On Inside Cornwall Oh, Noh, oh Noh Wed, 02/01/1995
Insight Japan Portfolio: Hiroko Imada Tue, 03/01/1994
The times, Sunday Review Young art runs free Tue, 05/05/1992

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