Makoto Fujimura

Bio

Makoto Fujimura is an artist, writer, and speaker who is recognized worldwide as a cultural influencer by both faith-based and secular media. A Presidential appointee to the National Council on the Arts (2003-2009), Fujimura has contributed internationally as an advocate for the arts, speaking with decision makers and advising governmental policies on the arts. Fujimura’s work is exhibited at galleries around the world, including Dillon Gallery (New York), Sen Gallery (Tokyo), The Contemporary Museum of Tokyo, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts Museum and Oxford House, Taiku Place (Hong Kong). He has painted live on stage at New York’s legendary Carnegie Hall as part of an ongoing collaboration with composer and percussionist Susie Ibarra. A popular speaker, he has lectured at numerous conferences and universities, including the Aspen Institute, Yale, Princeton, the Q Conference, and IAM’s Encounter 10. Fujimura’s second book, Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art and Culture, is a collection of essays bringing people of all backgrounds together in conversation and meditation on culture, art, and humanity. Fujimura founded the International Arts Movement in 1992. Download Press Kit (PDF)

Curriculum Vitae

Published Writings

  • 2011
    "The Aroma of the New," Books and Culture
  • 2009
    "Fallen Towers and the Art of Tea," Chosen by Gregory Wolfe for "Bearing the Mystery: Twenty Years of Image," with Scott Cairns, Kathleen Norris, Wim Wenders, Annie Dillard, Denise Levertov and others
  • 2009
    “Refractions: a journey of art, faith and culture,” NavPress
  • 2008
    "Withoutside: Transgressing in Love," Image Journal, "Twentieth Anniversary Issue: Fully Human," Number 60
  • 2002
    "A Letter to a Young Artist," Scribbling in the Sand, Michael Card, InterVarsity Press
  • 2001
    "Fallen Towers and the Art of Tea," Image Journal, Number 32
  • Fall 2001
    "An Exception to Gravity - On Life and Art of Jackson Pollock," Re:generation Quarterly, Volume 7, Number 3
  • 1999
    "River Grace," Image Journal, Number 22
  • 2000
    "That Final Dance," It was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God, edited by Ned Bustard, Square Halo Press

Reviews, Articles & Catalgues

  • 2011
    Barrymore Laurence Scherer, “Four Centuries of Love and Suffering for the Word,” The Wall Street Journal, August 3
  • 2010
    David Gelernter, "Master in Depth: The Multidimensional Makoto Fujimura," February 15
  • 2009
    Thomas Hibbs, "Rouault&Fujimura: Soliloquies," Square Halo Publishing, December
  • 2008
    Culture Makers, featured on the cover, Andy Crouch, Christianity Today
  • 2008
    Artist of Faith, Michelle Morrissey, Salem News
  • 2007
    Review: American Composer’s Orchestra, Steve Smith, The New York Times
  • 2007
    Can Paintings Create Music, Sara Rose, Associated Press, Washington Times, MSNBC, The Canadian Press, Times of India, and other newspapers
  • 2007
    Faith in Art, Eric Gorski, Associated Press, Guardian Unlimited, Seattle Times, MSNBC, The Honolulu Advisor and other newspapers
  • 2007
    Maureen Mullarkey The New York Sun, “Winter Trio: Laurie Fendrich at Katherina Rich Perlow; Alice Federico at George Billis Gallery, Makoto Fujimura at Sara Tecchia Roma” Available at http://www.maureenmullarkey.com/essays/fendrich.html
  • 2006
    British Broadcasting Company, “Destination Tokyo: Yayoi Kusama, Makoto Fujimura and others”, August
  • 2005
    Christine Cavallomagno, “Makoto Fujimura, Sublime Mystery”, NYArts Magazine, December
  • 2005
    David Gelernter, “A Faithful Art: Makoto Fujimura and the redemption of abstract expressionism”, The Weekly Standard, March 7
  • 2003
    Booyeon Lee, "Simple Truth: Art of Makoto Fujimura", International Herald Tribune, November 1-2
  • 2003
    "The Splendor of a Medium", Kristen Frederickson Contemporary
  • 2002
    Richard Tobin, "Gravity and Grace", THE Magazine
  • 2002
    Kyle MacMillan, "Street of Treasure in Santa Fe", Denver Post
  • 2002
    Ellison Walcott, "Much to discover in two Tribeca exhibits", Downtown Express, June 18-24
  • 2002
    Wayne Roosa, "A Three-Part Meditation on Makoto Fujimura's Triptych", Bethel College
  • 2002
    "Makoto Fujimura, Retrospective III", Sen Gallery, Tokyo
  • 2001
    "Beauty without Regret", curated by Robert Kushner, Bellas Artes, Santa Fe, New Mexico
  • 2001
    "Transcendent Space; with Mineral Pigments", Daily Yomiuri, May 25
  • 2001
    William A. Dyrness, "Visual Faith: art, theology and worship in dialogue", Baker Academic
  • 2001
    "The Pursuit of Faith Through Art," The Japan Times, April 18
  • 2001
    Tim Walker, "Japanese Art Displayed in Galleria", Arts and Entertainment, The Echo, April 20
  • 2001
    "Off the Walls", Worldwide Challenge Magazine
  • 2001
    "Makoto Fujimura, Retrospective II", Sen Gallery, Tokyo
  • 2000
    "Makoto Fujimura, Retrospective I," Sen Gallery, Tokyo
  • 2000
    "Nihonga of the 20th Century", Tokyo National University Museum Press
  • 2000
    "St. John's Project", Dillon Gallery Press
  • 1999
    "Hours", Dillon Gallery Press
  • 1999
    "On the Cover", International Art Now Gallery Guide, November
  • 1999
    Margaret Moorman, "New York Reviews", Art News, November
  • 1997
    "Images of Grace", Dillon Gallery Press
  • 1996
    "New York Works", Dillon Gallery Press
  • 1996
    Jim Heintz, "Japanese Painters Look to the Past", Associated Press, May 22
  • 1996
    George Melrod, "Openings: Future History", Art and Antiques, May
  • 1996
    Gerard Haggerty, "Reviews", ArtNews, November
  • 1996
    Robert Kushner, "Reviews", Art in America, December
  • 1992
    "Makoto Fujimura, Works 1990-1992", Tamaya Gallery, Tokyo
  • 1989
    "Makoto Fujimura, Works 1987-1990", Tamaya Gallery, Tokyo
  • 1987
    Judith Callander, "Makoto Fujimura's Nihonga Paintings at Tamaya Gallery", The Japan Times, January 18
  • 1987
    Amaury Saint-Gilles, "The Installation of Makoto Fujimura's Nihonga", Mainichi Daily News, January 8

Curatorial

  • 2011
    Renwick Gem Pop Up Exhibit: Black Fuchsia, The Narrow Stage and the Gift, Chris Anderson, Pamela Moore and Nicora Gangi
  • 2005
    Select III Corcoran Museum of Art, Washington, DC, Curator
  • 2003
    Considering Peace, an exhibit of 135 international artists to benefit UNESCO, hosted by Sato Museum, Tokyo, organized by International Arts Movement in collaboration with Art NPO, Tokyo
  • 2002
    The Return of Beauty, including works of Tim Rollins and K.O.S., Chris Anderson, Bruce Herman, James Elaine, Denise Green and others, hosted by Kristen Frederickson Gallery, New York, organized by International Arts Movement
  • 2002
    The Wrong Exhibit, Birmingham, UK, exhibited, lectured and juried works by high school students
  • 2001-2002
    TriBeCa Temporary Exhibits (www.tribecatemporary.com), involving over 25 artists including Gretchen Bender, Hiroshi Senju, Robert Kushner, Kevin Clark, Denise Green, Pamela Moore, Jinnie Seo and others for six months of exhibits, performances, Happenings, and poetry readings focused on Ground Zero artists and their experiences, organized by International Arts Movement
  • 2000
    Art as Prayer, including works by Joseph Beuys, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Tobi Kahn, Sigmar Polke, Tim Rollins and K.O.S., Daniel Smith, co-curated with Tim Rollins, James Romaine at Cooper Union Gallery, New York, organized by International Arts Movement
  • 1999
    New NIHONGA Tradition, Dillon Gallery, New York, works of four contemporary Nihonga artists
  • 1993
    IAM 1993 Exhibit, Tamaya Gallery, Tokyo
  • 1990
    International Artists Fellowship Exhibit, The Manila Hotel, Philippines

Conferences

  • 2009
    Encounter: Art in Action, Creative Director, Tribeca Performance Center, Pace University, speakers includes Billy Collins, Nicholas Wolterstorff,, performances by Jose Limon Dance, Helen Sung. Organized by International Arts Movement
  • 2008
    Encounter: Transforming the River of Culture, Creative Director, Tribeca Performance Center, speakers included Terry Teachout, Michael O’Siadhail, Tara Donovan, Jeff Speck. Organized by International Arts Movement
  • 2007
    Redemptive Culture, Creative Director, Tribeca Performance Center, speakers included Daniel Libeskind, Jeremy Begbie and others. Organized by International Arts Movement
  • 2006
    Artists as Reconcilers, Creative Director, Copper Union Universtiy, speakers included Dr. Miroslav Volf, Dana Gioia, Patty Heaton and others. Organized by International Arts Movement
  • 2002
    The Return of Beauty, Conference Director, speakers included Dr. Dennis Donoghue, Dr. Elaine Scarry, Rick Moody, Marie Ponsot, Makoto Fujimura, organized by International Arts Movement with Image Journal, at New York University and other venues
  • 2001
    It was Good, Conference Director, speakers included Dr. William Edgar, Gordon Pennington, Gregory Wolfe, Joyce Robinson, Peter Corriston, in collaboration with The King's College, conference lectures established as senior art seminar at The King's College, used live internet feed to Tokyo and London, organized by International Arts Movement with The King's College
  • 1999
    Art as Prayer, Executive Director, speakers included Steve Turner, Nigel Goodwin and others, concerts and exhibits including "The Land of Misfit Toys" at Cooper Union Great Hall featuring Danielson Famile

DVD Productions

  • 2009
    Ibarra&Fujimura:Live in New York, Plywood Film
  • 2005
    Water Processes, with music by Susie Ibarra, for “Water Flames” exhibit at Sara Tcchia Roma, New York
  • 2004
    Nagasaki Koi, with music by Mamoru, for “Splendor Exhibit” at Kristen Frederickson Contemporary Project Space
  • 2003
    Eirenepoios, with music by William Basinski, video taken and edited by Makoto Fujimura, used at Kristen Frederickson Contemporary Project Space
  • 2002
    Hiroshima, video taken and edited by Makoto Fujimura, used at Two-T Exhibit with Albert Pedulla, TriBeCa Temporary
  • 2001
    Gethsemane, video taken by Michael Kaufmann, music by Mamoru, edited by Makoto Fujimura, based on a collaborative event of the same title

Leadership Positions

  • 2007-2008
    Represented United States as part of a first official cultural delegation to China headed by Presidential Commission on the Arts and Humanities, represented the National Endowment for the Arts at the annual convocation, Pueto Rico,
  • 2003-2008
    National Council on the Arts member (a six year Presidential appointment), awarded the Chairman’s Medal (2008)
  • 2003-Present
    Invited member of Yale University's Faith and Life work group lead by Dr. Miraslov Volf
  • 2003
    Selected by the White House to travel with the US delegation at the US re-entry ceremony for UNESCO, Paris
  • 2001-2002
    Initiated the TriBeCa Temporary project (www.tribecatemporary.com) to encourage ground zero artists
  • 1990-Present
    Founder and Creative Director, International Arts Movement (www.iamny.org)
  • Frequent lecturer in universities, including Duke University, Cornell University, Baylor University, Rhode Island School of Design, Maryland Institute of Art, New York University, Washington University at Saint Louis, Gordon College, Messiah College, Bethel College, Kyoto Arts and Crafts College as well as Bucknell University.
  • Keynote speeches given at Michigan Arts Educator’s conference, Trinity Board Gathering, International Arts Movement conferences, as well as lectures given at the Orlando Museum of Art and De Young Museum of Art, San Francisco
  • Privately mentored students and recent graduates of Parsons School of Design, School of the Visual Arts, New York University, Sarah Lawrence College, American University, Tyler School of Art, Hope College, Messiah College, Gordon College, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, the University of Pennsylvania, Syracuse University and Bucknell University.

Gallery Representations

  • Dillon Gallery, New York

Education

  • 2011
    Honorary Doctorate, Belhaven University
  • 1992
    Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Post MFA Doctoral Level Program in Nihonga, National Cultural Affairs Scholar, first non-Japanese citizen to be accepted into the program
  • 1989
    Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, M.F.A., Tokyo, National Cultural Affairs Scholar, top thesis prize
  • 1983
    Bucknell University, double major in Animal Behavior and Art, with a minor in Creative Writing, B.A., Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, cum laude, Creative Arts Award