YOSHIKO KOCHI 

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Initially active solely as a fresh flower artist, she won a commission for artificial flowers that led her to the creation of floral art works. The great acclaim for those efforts deepened her interest in the pursuit of artistic expression through flowers, spurring her to become a full-time contemporary artist. She created a unique series known as【禅ZEN】that blended the basics of the Ohara school of ikebana with the sensitivity of French floral art gleaned from her studies in Paris. Her works on the theme of Zen seek to convey the life power of plants in a simple modern style through bold but sensitive expression of the aesthetics of Japanese wabi/sabi (imperfection and transience). She was steeped in the spirit of Japanese culture from childhood thanks to an auspicious family background: her paternal grand uncle was head of an Iaido (Japanese swordsmanship) school and calligrapher, her maternal grandfather trained young artists, her maternal grandmother’s family were pottery makers, and her uncle was a Noh theater actor.

 

1995~     

• Studied flower arrangement & decoration under the Ohara school of ikebana.

1997       

• Studied interior design and table coordination in Paris, drawn by the attraction of French flower design. Upon return to Japan, engaged in floral design and creative space production as a flower artist and lectured at colleges.

• Flower staff in Rome’s Alta Moda.

• Stylist for pre-event bringing together pottery and flowers at the 23rd Tamba Tachikui Pottery Festival in Hyogo Prefecture.

• Honorable Mention Award, World Tea Festival, O-Cha Style Contest Space

• Stage flower coordinator, Noh Music Performance (performer: Yamanaka Gasho), Miiraku Hoba Festival, Nagasaki Prefecture

 

2010~

• Deepened her pursuit of artistic expression through flowers and created floral art works under her【禅ZEN】series, spurring her to become a full-time contemporary artist.

• Flower design and arrangement for lacquerware maker booth, Interior Life Style Tokyo

• Solo exhibition “Zen and 禅”, Gallery Mitate

• Exhibition “Bunaco Style II”, Matsuya Department Store, Ginza, Tokyo

• Participated in Seiko Wakasugi exhibition, Gallery Ashiya Schule, Hyogo Prefecture