Rie Taniguchi
I started as a jeweller and my jewellery has always been sculptural, so moving into sculpture just happened. I try to express the essence of things with simple, expressive forms and clean lines, funny and dark sense of humour and playfulness. Physicality and feel of movement are also evident. Images from my childhood still influence me through the experience of making numerous drawings. Recently information from photographs and films has influenced the design and development of softer shapes using Britannia silver.
I draw my inspiration freely from everything I see, read and hear. My main interests and concerns, aside from arts, are in environment and wildlife, the relationships between those and humans. News, folk tales and myths all come into consideration.
I am doing what I have always liked doing, which was drawing animals, in 3D. I want to raise awareness and respect for wildlife and environment by making other species (rather than our own) whether they are endangered or familiar. Although making biologically correct models is not my aim.
I consider a group of work as an installation under a theme but leave it obscure and encourage/invite the viewer to think.
Born Nagoya, Japan 1963
Education
1996-98 MA Silversmithing, Jewellery and Applied Craft, London Guildhall University, with Distinction
1992-96 Extended Studies in Silversmithing, Jewellery and Applied Crafts, London Guildhall University
1989-92 Diploma in Art and Design, City of London Polytechnic
Awards
2004 Daiwa Anglo- Japanese Foundation Small Grant
2003,2002 ‘British Crafts in Japan’ research trip: supported by Trade Partners UK
2000 Setting Up Scheme, Crafts Council
1997 Student of the Year, Finalist for design of suite of jewellery
1997 Goldsmiths’ Crafts Council Awards, Commended for designer finished pieces
1996 Lapponia, The Art Competition, First Prize for collection of jewellery (Finland)
1996 Goldsmiths’ Crafts Council Awards, Commended for product design in platinum
Selected Exhibitions
2012 Group Show, Arai Atelier/Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Queen of Diamonds, Electrum Gallery, London
2011 Showcase at Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Creative Creatures, Electrum Gallery, London
2007-11 Goldsmiths’ Fair, Goldsmiths’ Hall, London, annually
2010 Collect, Saatchi Gallery, with Electrum
2009 Two person show at Gallery Hu, Nagoya, Japan
2005 Musi Ten (Insect Exhibition), Arai Artelier- Gallery, Tokyo Japan
Collect, V&A with Crafts Council Gallery
2004 Chelsea Crafts Fair, Chelsea Old Town Hall, London
Two Person Show (sculpture and jewellery), Gallery Ray, Nagoya, Japan
2003 DAN-GINZA Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2003 Fusion 2002, touring exhibition of collaboration between DJG members and textile artists
2003 Musi Ten (Insect Exhibition), Arai Artelier- Gallery,Tokyo, Japan
2001 ‘In-art-iculate’ exhibition, art.tm, Inverness, Scotland, touring
2001 Chelsea Craft Fair, Chelsea Old Town Hall, London
2001 DJG Exhibition, Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery
Recent Publications
2011 Portfolio in Craft Arts
2007 GZ ART+DESIGN image and article on Prawn Cracker
2006 Findings, ACJ newsletter, article and an image on Prawn Craker three part set
2004 Two rings in ‘1000 Rings’ published by Lark Books, USA
2003 Asahi Newspaper, ‘Musi Ten’ review, Japan
2002 Dazed and Confused, Japan
2002 Findings, ACJ newsletter, article and an image on ‘In-art-iculate’
Public Collections
2003 Dino ring/box purchased by The Alice and Louis Koch Collection