美術家。創作の原風景は、生まれ故郷である武蔵野の林床にある植物が織りなす景色。 幼い頃より絵と書を嗜む。植物への憧憬は強くあり、17歳でフラワーデザイナーとしてキャリアを開始、二十代後半、京都の染色工房に学び、後に日本画制作に取り組む。
花の仕事を通じて日本文化に関心を移し、茶道を通じて意匠が示すものに関心を持つ。古法による暖簾の制作をはじめ、情緒的な写真を使ったウェブサイトなどのインフォメーションデザインも手掛ける。土着の習俗や民話、神仏、文学や短歌、文様などに見られる呪術性や自然の中にあるアニミズムは、植物と共に創作の源泉。
影響を受けたもの：体系化された美術教育は受けていない。世界各地の古代遺物、アジアの衣装、工芸。他、琳派、中国美術、アーツ・アンド・クラフツ運動、ラファエル前派を初め19世紀末の美術。本阿弥光悦、フリーダ・カーロ、島成園、ファッション、すべてのデザインと呼ばれるもの。
現在、手に触れたものすべてが地に還ることを願い、古法による天然の染料・顔料、紙と天然繊維を使って具象と抽象、DesignとArt、工芸と芸術を行き来しながら作品制作に傾注。
1998年、奈良に移住。日本に息づく自然と共存する里山の暮らしを築く。政治や環境問題、女性運動などの社会活動にも積極的に携わり、自然への敬愛の念と深い思索をもとにした文筆も、高い評価を得ている。
OTAKE Kuyo is a Japanese artist who creates art panels for wall decoration and Japanese-style paintings with natural dyes and pigments on silk and traditional Japanese paper. In her artwork, she captures the brutality of humanity and respect for peaceful life that coexist within individuals, society, and the world. Her print work is based on traditional Japanese auspicious patterns, which reflect a sense of prayer that she holds dear.
The foundation of her creative work is rooted in her deep admiration for the
wildflowers that bloom on the forest floors of the Musashino Plateau, her birthplace, and its scenery throughout the changing seasons. Born as an artist, she loved to draw. She also enjoyed calligraphy from an early age and was granted an art name at the age of 16. She studied floral design under a master florist from the age of 17. However, she soon realized the limitations of expressing her identity within the world of Western flowers. Attracted by the philosophy of chabana (seasonal flowers for tea ceremonies) and the traditional Japanese culture, she decided to move to Kyoto.
After studying traditional dyeing techniques, she relocated to Nara and settled in a
mountain village. Embracing the Japanese way of life, living in harmony with nature and following seasonal customs, she began creating Japanese-style paintings and writing tanka, the traditional form of short Japanese poems. Around the same time, she also became involved in social activities such as politics, environmental issues, and women’s movements. As her past experiences were transformed through her social activities and continuous practice of Zen, she resumed her creative pursuits in earnest.
She currently produces Japanese-style paintings and art panels for wall decoration by using natural dyes and pigments with the aim of returning everything to nature. Her interests in the mystical elements of indigenous customs, folk tales, and literary works serves as one of her creative sources. Her poetry and writing, grounded in her admiration for nature and deep contemplation, have also been highly appreciated.
九葉 