三上俊希
Mikami Toshiki
concept of the work
I grew up in a nature-rich environment, and the experiences from my childhood deeply influence my current work. One vivid memory is when I overturned a stone by the river and saw countless small insects swarming and wriggling underneath. At first, I found it unsettling, but I came to realize that within that motion lay the beauty and raw power of life itself. In Buddhism, the concept of impermanence (anicca) emphasizes that all things are constantly changing, and this scene felt like a reflection of the cycle of life and death.
Within our own bodies, countless cells are constantly moving, sustaining life, though we are rarely aware of this. I see this cellular activity as embodying the Buddhist concept of "emptiness" (śūnyatā), where everything exists in interdependence, never in isolation. It’s in this space where the essence of life reveals itself.
I most strongly feel the presence of life when I consciously focus on the movements of organs like the lungs and heart, which work harmoniously together. The lungs, in particular, are unique in that we can control our breathing consciously, unlike the heart, which beats without conscious thought. In Buddhism, breath (prāṇa) is a vital element that connects body and mind, symbolizing the flow of energy within the body and the universe. This concept of "breath" serves as a central theme in my work, representing the cyclical energy of life and the greater universe.
Biography
1991 Born in Shizuoka Prefecture
2014 Graduated from Tokoha University, Faculty of Art and Design, Department of Art and Design, Sculpture and Media Major
2016 Completed Master's Degree in Sculpture at Aichi University of the Arts, Graduate School of Fine Arts
2016-2020 Research Assistant in Sculpture at Aichi University of the Arts
2017-2020 Part-time Lecturer at Tokoha University
2022-2023 Part-time Lecturer at Tokoha University
Exhibition History
2015
"Arts Challenge 2015" (Aichi Arts Center)
"SCENES CROSSING 2015 - Intersecting Landscapes" (Aichi)
"Tokyo Midtown Art Award Exhibition" (Tokyo Midtown)
"Aichi University of the Arts Graduate Exhibition" (Aichi)
"Moment Exhibition" (Aichi)
2016
"Aichi University of the Arts Graduation Exhibition" (Aichi)
"Tokyo Midtown Street Museum" (Tokyo Midtown)
"Next Generation Art in Show Windows - Granship Art Competition 2016" (Shizuoka)
"Breathing Space," Aichi University of the Arts Satellite Gallery (Aichi)
"Exhibition at the National Institute for Basic Biology" (Okazaki, Aichi)
"Niigata Office Art Street" (Niigata)
"Tokyo Midtown Art Night" (Tokyo Midtown)
2017
"Crossing Factors," East Factory Art Gallery (Edogawa, Tokyo)
"Show Window Exhibition," Structural Design Office Sozosha (Shizuoka)
"Tail of Life," Group Exhibition at the National Institute for Physiological Sciences (Okazaki, Aichi)
2018
"Where the Weave Lies - Contemporary Art in Ichinomiya" (Ichinomiya, Aichi)
2019
"Breathing Body," Solo Exhibition at MARUEIDO JAPAN (Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo)
2020
"My One Piece - Connecting Primal Landscapes," Phase 1, Oribetei 35th Anniversary Special Exhibition (Ichinomiya, Aichi)
2021
"Contemporary Sculpture Exhibition at Art House Oyabe" (Oyabe, Toyama)
"innerspace," Solo Exhibition at Gallery noivoi (Nagoya, Aichi)
"Dots, Dots, and Lines," Komaki Art Project Group Exhibition (Komaki, Aichi)
2022
"10TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION 'WITH LOVE AND GRATITUDE'," Group Exhibition at Gallery noivoi (Nagoya, Aichi)
"WHAT CAFE × WATOWA GALLERY EXHIBITION - DRIVE UP!," Group Exhibition (Tokyo)
"3331 ART FAIR 2022" (Chiyoda, Tokyo)
"ART MART 2022," MARUEIDO JAPAN (Minato, Tokyo)
2023
"Totonou Onsen Museum," Group Exhibition (Gamagori, Aichi)
2024
"Anthology of June - Aoi Yoshida & Toshiki Mikami," Two-person Exhibition at Gallery noivoi (Nagoya, Aichi)
Awards
2015
Selected for Aichi Arts Challenge 2015
Excellence Award at Aichi University of the Arts
Encouragement Award at Shizuoka Granship Art Competition
Excellence Award & Audience Award at Tokyo Midtown Art Award 2015
2016
Sculpture Major Award at Aichi University of the Arts
Granship Award at "Next Generation Art in Show Windows - Granship Art Competition 2016"
Director's Award at Niigata City Art Museum, "Niigata Office Art Street"
2021
Selected for Contemporary Sculpture Exhibition at Art House Oyabe
2022
Nagoya Innovator's Garage Award
Stage Collaboration
2017
Art collaboration for "Mari Natsuki Impressionist NEO vol.3: Snow White in Wonderland"
(Setagaya Public Theatre, Tokyo / ROHM Theatre, Kyoto / Auditorium of the Louvre Museum, Paris)