shu uemura art award

Following Mr. Shu Uemura's philosophy, the brand continues to build on the connection between art and beauty. The shu uemura ART AWARD establishes a commitment to discover and support young talented artists. The winner will be given an opportunity to collaborate with shu uemura and exhibit their art to an international audience.

The winner in 2011: promising contemporary artist Aya Ito, uses a variety of creative motifs to create a unique style that is out of box. She freely paints her imaginative world without restraint and embraces an unusual sense of space while retaining a careful and deliberate creative process. Ito transforms the unexpected into reality with a special density that seems to seize our consciousness.

The winner in 2010: the exceptionally talented photographer Jiro Konami photographed the striking tokyo lash bar 2011 beauty visuals, and his work will be encased in the limited edition packaging of the best-selling cleansing beauty oil premium A/O advanced formula offered exclusively for Duty Free Sales.

The inaugural winner in 2009: up and coming Japanese artist Lisa Kohno, has collaborated with shu uemura and brilliantly interpreted the A/W mode make-up collection, inspired by shu uemura international artistic director Kakuyasu Uchiide's florescent universe in her whimsical illustrations for the collection's packaging and for the bottles for the 2010 limited-edition shu uemura high performance balancing cleansing oil advanced formula.


Aya Ito, 2011 winner

Born in Arita-city, Wakayama in 1987. Aya graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts in 2009. Aya graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts in 2009, and from Kyoto City University of Arts, Graduate School of Art, painting in 201. Awarded Suntory award at in Art Camp in Kunst-Bau 2007 (Suntory Museum, Osaka), Runner-Up Prize in Art Award Tokyo Marunouchi 2009 (Gyokochika Gallery, Tokyo), and the Graduate School Mayer award at Annual Exhibition of Kyoto City University of Arts (Kyoto).


2009    Solo exhibitions include "Umaretsuki J" (Art Jam Contemporary, Tokyo, 2009),
            group exhibitions include "Mont Blanc Young Artist Patronage in Japan" (Mont Blanc GINZA, Tokyo, 2009)
2010    "VOCA 2010" (The Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo, 2010), and "RESONANCE" (Suntory Museum, Osaka, 2010).
2011    "Smelling Mildly" her second exhibition at Tomio Koyama Gallery since 2010.


Jiro Konami, 2010 winner

Promising talent in Japan's photography scene, born in Tokyo 1986, 24-year-old Konami graduated from the Tokyo Polytechnic University art department of Photography in 2010. Konami creates infinite emotion by capturing the beauty and fragility of life. His exceptional talent in light, color, and structure creates an untouched and pure sensation, and his metropolitan flair creates poetry of everyday life. He has recently worked for High Fashion magazine, and he has also a portrait of William Eggleston, a famous photographer who pioneered the use of colors in the monotone photographs. Konami shot promotional materials for Ryuichi Sakamoto's "A project of Taeko Onuki & Ryuichi Sakamoto UTAU TOUR 2010."


2010    Graduated from Tokyo Polytechnic University Art Department Photograph research course Awards
2006    28th Fox Tlbot Awards Fine Work
2007    EPSON color imaging contest prospect prize
2008    30th Fox Talbot Awards 1st winner
2009    KONICA photo premio
            FUJI photo salon, the new face prize 2009
            SHIOGAMA photo festival, P.G.I prize
2010    art award tokyo marunouchi 2010, shu uemura prize


Lisa Kohno, 2009 winner

Rising star in Japan's contemporary art scene, born in Tokyo 1982, 26-year-old Kohno graduated from Tokyo University's Graduate School of Fine Arts with an MFA in 2009. Kohno is an emerging talent with a unique vision. She has showed her paintings at a number of group exhibitions including 2008's Girlish Blends at Gallery ni modo in Tokyo while her second solo exhibition was held at Bambinart Gallery at 3331 Arts Chiyoda though July and August. Her work was recently included in Vogue Nippon, which appointed her one of Japan's emerging trendsetters, and a leader in the new global "Kawaii" culture.

winning works shu uemura art awards. title: "silent paradise in the forest" by lisa kohno

2005    "Exhibition of fivesome," Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo
2007    Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, JAPAN, with a BA
2008    Group exhibition "GIRLISH BLENDS" gallery ni modo, Tokyo (Bambinart promotion)
2009    Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, JAPAN, with a MA
            art award tokyo marunouchi 2009, shu uemura prize
            Group exhibition "THE BLOOM" Art Jam Contemporary, Tokyo
            "Girl's Zone 05 Hiroko MASUKO & Lisa KOHNO" Art Jam Contemporary, Tokyo
2010    Solo exhibition "Lisa Kohno" Bambinart Gallery
            Solo exhibition "Silent Paradise," GALLERY at lammfromm (Bambinart promotion)
            -Group exhibition Four painters Exhibition "World feel, the story begins to spin" GALLERY M, Aichi
            "HitoHito," Bambinart Gallery, Tokyo