Mikiko Tomita (b. 1972) was born in Osaka, Japan and studied at the Kyoto City University of Arts. Her ceramics demonstrate an exoticism distant from traditional Japanese motifs. Having spent some time in Portugal at a young age, Tomita has taken inspiration from the Moorish culture and arabesque patterns that surrounded her.
Her work is greatly influenced by religious architecture, including churches, temples and mosques, and their ornate decorations as well as the cosmos, nature and organisms. Tomita describes that in her creative practice, she immerses herself wholly, as one might do in prayer or religious ritual.
Solo Exhibitions
1999 Gallery Maronie, Kyoto
2000 INAX Galleria Ceramica, Tokyo and Hokkaido
2001 INAX Tile Museum, Aichi, Japan
Masuda Studio, Tokyo
2002 Kobo IKUKO, Okayama, Japan
2013 YOU-Yuusya Gallery, Aichi (07, 12)
2015 ART NAGOYA 2015, YOU-Yuusya Gallery, Aichi, Japan
2019 YOU-Yuusya Gallery SAPPORO, Hokkaido, Japan
2020 Meguro Gallery, Mie, Japan (03, 06, 09, 11, 14, 17)
2021 SILVER SHELL, Tokyo (07, 11, 13, 15, 17)
Group Exhibitions
2003 Flowers of Contemporary Ceramic Art -Focusing on Ceramists of Western Japan/ Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum, Ibaraki, Japan
2008 Saint Sex Spirit - Seducing Crafts - / Takashimaya Shinjuku Store, Tokyo
2009 Treasure to the Future / Takashimaya Nihombashi, Shinjuku, Osaka and Kyoto
The Power of Decoration, The Viewpoint on Contemporary Ceramics / Craft Gallery, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
Touch Fire: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics by Women Artists / Smith College Museum, USA
2010 The 5th Paramita Museum Ceramic Art Grand Prize Exhibition / Paramita Museum, Mie, Japan
2015 KOBE ART MARCHE / KOBE MERIKEN PARK ORIENTAL HOTEL, Hyogo, Japan
ART NAGOYA 2015 / Westin Nagoya Castle, Aichi, Japan
2016 SOFA CHICAGO / Smith College Museum, USA
2017 The Splendid Ceramics - The Expression of Seven Women Artists / Ginza WAKO, Tokyo
Nitten / The National Art Center, Tokyo
2019 The 30th Anniversary Square Exhibition, Utsuwa Ikkyaku, Kyoto, Tokyo, Osaka
2020 New Directions: Japanese Women Artists, LaiSun Keane, LLC, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
IROE Exhibition, YAKATA YUSAI, Tokyo
2021 Beyond the Material, The Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu, Japan
The 12th International Ceramics Festival Mino21, Ceramics Park Mino, Gifu, Japan
Collections
Tokoname City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
Ishikawa Prefectural Kutani Ceramics Technical Research Center
LIXIL, Aichi, Japan
Art Print Japans Art Shop in Tokyo International Forum
Smith College Museum, USA