{"id":1069,"date":"2021-07-02T13:06:13","date_gmt":"2021-07-02T04:06:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/?page_id=1069"},"modified":"2026-03-16T15:31:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T06:31:10","slug":"profile","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/en\/profile\/","title":{"rendered":"Artist Introduction"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"page-section\">\r\n    <div class=\"sec-inner l-inner\">\r\n        <div class=\"sec-contents contents__profile__nav\">\r\n            <ul class=\"m-nav__type02 l-grid\">\r\n                <li class=\"current\"><a href=\"\/en\/profile\/\">Introduction<\/a><\/li>\r\n                <li><a href=\"\/en\/profile\/philosophy\/\">Thoughts entrusted to TOSAIGA<\/a><\/li>\r\n                <li><a href=\"\/en\/profile\/writing\/\">Writing activities<\/a><\/li>\r\n            <\/ul>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n        <div class=\"sec-contents contents__profile contents__profile01\">\r\n            <div class=\"profile-head l-inner l-grid\">\r\n                <p class=\"head-pos\">TOSAIGA artist<\/p>\r\n                <div class=\"head-name\">\r\n                    <p class=\"head-name__ja m-title__type04\">Kazuhisa Kusaba<\/p>\r\n                    <p class=\"head-name__en\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/name-en.png\" width=\"140\" alt=\"Kazuhisa Kusaba\"><\/p>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <div class=\"profile-text l-inner m-box__type02\">\r\n                \r\n                <p>\r\n                    Kusaba was born in Saga Prefecture in 1960.<br>\r\nFrom an early age, he grew up with a strong interest in &#8220;life&#8221; such as animals and nature.<br>\r\nKusaba, who found great joy in creation and expression, entered the College of Art at Nihon University to take the Theatre Course only to realize that what was truly necessary for him was not the artistic technique but experiences that could give him profundity and wisdom to vivify his arts.<br>\r\nHe left the college and became a backpacker to spend almost 4 years traveling mainly around Asia. The trip allowed him to look at ordinary things from a different perspective rather than an occasion to learn something new.The simple fact that we all are living repeatedly struck him and finally made him decide to be an artist to express \u201csparkles of life.\u201d\r\n                <\/p>\r\n                <p>\r\n                    He went back to his homeland with the vision of a new art form of ceramic painting by utilizing Arita-yaki&#8217;s conventional techniques.<br>\r\nHowever Kusaba knocked on many doors sharing his idea of \u201cTOSAIGA\u201d, it was rejected as a foolhardy undertaking.<br>\r\nFinally, Yuki Hayama, a ceramicist famous for his precise and delicate painting, welcomed the concept as innovative and worth trying, and let him begin the study of ceramic painting in 1987. Kusaba was 27 years old.<br><br>\r\nWhereas in traditional regular ceramic ware, the glaze painting and firing process is repeated 4 times at the most, Kusaba stuck to realize much more vivid and deeper colors, and kept trial and error until he finally succeeded in repeating the process more than 10 times.<br><br>\r\nIn 1990, he became independent and opened \u201cAtelier Imagine\u201d in Yamauchi-cho, Takeo City to start creating TOSAIGA in earnest.\r\n\r\n                <\/p>\r\n                <p>\r\n                    He kept up study and research being particular about color and sparkles, while constantly visiting various places such as India, Mongolia, and Dunhuang, in search of techniques, motifs, and inspiration for his art. As his career as an artist steadily advanced and he began holding solo exhibitions in various locations, his atelier opened a directly managed gallery in Saga in 2004.\r\n                <\/p>\r\n                <p>\r\n                    Also, Kusaba wrote the picture book \u201cFestival of Life: Where do I come from?\u201d, with a feeling of the need to talk how precious life is. It was motivated by several cases of young children involved in tragic incidences and child abuse. The book was later assigned in Japanese elementary schools as a supplementary reader in morality classes, and he came to be quite regularly invited as a guest speaker at lecture meetings.\r\n                <\/p>\r\n                <p>\r\n                    In 2014, Kusaba renovated the Saga Gallery to mark the 25th anniversary of the atelier opening and renamed it Kusaba Kazuhisa Koubou.<br>\r\nIn 2020, Kusaba turned 60 years old, which is, in Japan, regarded as the turning point to finish a period and to be reborn. At this juncture, Kusaba got back to his basics, longing for the sparkle of life, and started to create a new series \u201cJizai (at will)\u201d. For the series, he freely paints without a sketch, following his inspiration. Also, Kusaba thought of &#8220;Ry\u016b no Tama \u2018Nyoih\u014dju\u2019&#8221; (Cintamani, wish-fulfilling jewel) to express the energy of dragons.<br><br>Even now, more than 30 years after originating TOSAIGA, he continues to evolve as an artist, driven by his unfailing passion for the expression of life.\r\n                <\/p>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            <!--<div class=\"profile-image disp-sp\">\r\n                <ul class=\"l-grid l-grid-col-2\">\r\n                    <li class=\"l-grid-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/img-profile-sp01.jpg\" width=\"100%\" alt=\"\"><\/li>\r\n                    <li class=\"l-grid-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/wp-cntent\/uploads\/2021\/05\/img-profile-sp02.jpg\" width=\"100%\" alt=\"\"><\/li>\r\n                    <li class=\"l-grid-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/img-profile-sp03.jpg\" width=\"100%\" alt=\"\"><\/li>\r\n                    <li class=\"l-grid-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/img-profile-sp04.jpg\" width=\"100%\" alt=\"\"><\/li>\r\n                <\/ul>\r\n            <\/div>-->\r\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\r\n<section class=\"page-section\">\r\n    <div class=\"sec-inner l-inner__type01\">\r\n        <header class=\"sec-header\">\r\n            <h2 class=\"sec-title m-title__type01\">Chronology<\/h2>\r\n        <\/header>\r\n        <div class=\"sec-contents contents__profile02\">\r\n            <table class=\"m-table__type03\">\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>1987<\/th>\r\n                    <td>Starts research for new expression TOSAIGA, in Arita, Saga Prefecture.\r\n<\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>1990<\/th>\r\n                    <td>Opens Atelier Imagine for new techniques to enable repeating painting and firing.<\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>1992<\/th>\r\n                    <td>Produces \u201dChinju no Mori,\u201d Japan&#8217;s largest ceramic mural measuring 20 meters.<\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>1996<\/th>\r\n                    <td>\r\n                        Starts interaction with Dunhuang Art Academy in China.<br>\r\n                        Introduced on NHK TV \u201cLiving with Fire\u201d.<br>\r\n                        TOSAIGA \u201cI Remember You\u201d adopted as a poster for the movie \u201cWings of Human\u201d\r\n                    <\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>1998<\/th>\r\n                    <td>\r\n                        Sends some TOSAIGA pieces to the Asian Craft Exhibition.\r\n<br>\r\n                        Visits murals and statues withheld from public view in Mogao Caves, Western Thousand Buddha Caves, and Yulinku.\r\n\r\n                    <\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>2002<\/th>\r\n                    <td>TOSAIGA \u201cMizu no Bosatsu\u201d displayed in the trainer room of Seattle Mariners in the United States.\r\n<\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>2004<\/th>\r\n                    <td>Opens TOSAIGA Gallery in Takeo City, Saga Prefecture.\r\n<\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>2005<\/th>\r\n                    <td>\r\n                        Writes a picture book \u201cFestival of Life\u3000- Nuchinugusuji -\u201d and publishes nationwide from Sunmark Publishing. It later becomes a long bestseller unusual for a picture book (series sales total 520,000)\r\n<br>The book is still being aired on NHK\u2019s E-Tele program \u201cTelevision Picture Book.\u201d<br>\r\n* NHK: Japan&#8217;s public broadcaster\r\n\r\n                    <\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>2006<\/th>\r\n                    <td>\r\n                        Presents TOSAIGA \u201cDaich\u014dwa\u201d to the President of Mongolia<br>\r\n                        Presents TOSAIGA \u201cDaich\u014dwa\u201d to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama\r\n                    <\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>2008<\/th>\r\n                    <td>Picture book \u201cFestival of Life\u201d wins the National Kindergarten \u201cPicture Book Grand Prize\u201d\r\n<\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>2009<\/th>\r\n                    <td>Picture book \u201cFestival of Life\u201d entered the Bologna Children\u2019s Book Fair as a representative of Japanese books.\r\n<\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>2011<\/th>\r\n                    <td>\r\n                        Holds a hospital art exhibition at Kanazawa Medical University.<br>Creates TOSAIGA masterpieces, \u201cHeian\u201d and \u201cToki wa Ima\u201d with iridescent colors.\r\n\r\n                    <\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>2012<\/th>\r\n                    <td>\r\n                        Supervise an ossuary as a prayer space with the theme of \u201clife\u201d.<br>Directs a documentary movie \u201dChikyu ga Kyoushitsu (The Earth is a classroom)\u201d.\r\n \r\n                    <\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>2013<\/th>\r\n                    <td>\r\n                        Provides artistic cooperation for the movie &#8220;Strawberry Night -Theatrical Version-&#8221; by offering TOSAIGA pieces, iridescent colored dragon &#8220;Heian&#8221; and abstract painting &#8220;T\u014dsui&#8221;.<br>Offers a special TOSAIGA \u201cDainichi Nyorai \/ Kong\u014dkai \u201d to shiund\u014d at fukush\u014dji Temple in Wakayama Prefecture.\r\n\r\n                    <\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>2016<\/th>\r\n                    <td>\r\n                        Starts to regularly hold a solo exhibition at To-ji Temple, a World Heritage Site in Kyoto.\r\n\r\n                    <\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>2018<\/th>\r\n                    <td>\r\n                        4 out of 5 books of the \u201cFestival of Life\u201d series adopted in elementary school\u2019s morality textbook.\r\n                    <\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span>2022 and 2023<\/th>\r\n                    <td>\r\n                       Replica Gicl\u00e9e \u201cH\u014dj\u014d no Megami &#8211; Lakshmi -\u201d displayed in the Consulate General of India and the Embassy of India in honor of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.\r\n\r\n                    <\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span> 2024<\/th>\r\n                    <td>\r\n                        Exhibited at World Art Dubai,<br>\r\n                        The International Contemporary Art Fair, Monaco<br>\r\n                        and Salon de l\u2019Art Japonais, France\r\n                    <\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n                    <th><span class=\"c02\">\u25cf<\/span> 2025<\/th>\r\n                    <td>\r\n                        Commissioned to create the fusuma painting \u201cShishin\u201d (a painting on traditional Japanese sliding doors) for the Main Hall of Ryuko-ji Temple, Nagasaki.<br>\r\n                        Opened the concept store \u201cDazaifu OKAMI\u201d in Dazaifu, Fukuoka.\r\n                    <\/td>\r\n                <\/tr>\r\n                <tr>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n            <\/table>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n        <!--<div class=\"sec-contents contents__profile02\">\r\n            <ul class=\"l-grid l-grid-col-3\">\r\n                <li class=\"l-grid-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/img-profile01-01.jpg\" width=\"100%\" alt=\"\"><\/li>\r\n                <li class=\"l-grid-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/img-profile01-01.jpg\" width=\"100%\" alt=\"\"><\/li>\r\n                <li class=\"l-grid-item\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/img-profile01-01.jpg\" width=\"100%\" alt=\"\"><\/li>\r\n            <\/ul>\r\n        <\/div>-->\r\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Introduction Thoughts entrusted to TOSAIGA Writing activities TOSAIGA artist Kazuhisa Kusaba Kusaba was born i&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/en\/profile\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Artist Introduction<\/span><\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":51,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"http:\/\/dev.kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/?page_id=69"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1069"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1069"}],"version-history":[{"count":45,"href":"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1069\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15596,"href":"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1069\/revisions\/15596"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kusaba-kazuhisa.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}