Biography
Born in Tokyo, Hiroko Imada studied at the Tokyo Zokei University and later at the Slade School of Fine Art (University College London). Her degree show in 1992 caught the attention of The Times art critic David Cohen, who described her work as ‘heralding an impressive new talent’. In 1992, Imada was awarded the British Council Fellowship for her achievements at the Slade. She is now based in London.
From her early youth, Imada’s favoured subjects have been ‘Nature’ and ‘Dance and Movement’, and although she likes to work in various different media such as printmaking, painting, and site specific installation, a strong sense of continuity runs through all her works.
She has exhibited throughout Europe and Japan, and a number of her exhibitions have been featured at Japan-related events and in the official magazine of the Embassy of Japan. Her solo exhibition in 2013 at the Riverside Studios Gallery in London, for example, was part of the ‘Japan 400’ event which celebrated the 400th anniversary of Japanese-British relations.
Her solo exhibition in 2015 was produced by the Children’s Art Centre Pessi, in Vantaa, Finland, and was broadcast by Yle TV News. Her print works have been featured in the prestigious Saatchi Art Online collection.
In 2015 she was commissioned by the British luxury phone manufacturer Vertu to produce an art work for their new phone, Aster Yosegi Wood (made in a limited edition of 50). The whole process of creation was filmed and used for the advertising campaign.
In 2017, Imada created a giant paper wave interactive installation work at the Great Court of the British Museum as a part of 'Hokusai: Beyond the Great Wave’ exhibition official event - Hokusai: Making Waves.
In 2019, she was comissioned by Universal Pictures to create a painting for a specific scene and her painting appears in the film “Fast and Furious 9” which was premired in June 2021.
In 2021, Imada created an iinstallation work at The Wave Coventry and an interactive installation work with pupils in Coventry at the Coventry Cathedral as a part of the event of Japan-UK Season of Culture, and the same year, she was commissioned by the British Museum to create a woodblock print inspired by Hokusai’s drawing and its process was recorded to create a film to run at the exhibition ‘Hokusai: The Great Picture Book of Everything’ from 30 September 2021 to 30 January 2022 at the British Museum. The film also presented at ‘Beyond the Great Wave: Works by Hokusai from the British Museum’ at the Bowers Museum in LA, USA from 21 Oct 2023 - 7 Jan 2024.
In 2022, she has created a Japanese woodblock print in colour inspired by one of the piece from the Royal Collection and its process was filmed and presented at 'Japan: Courts and Culture' exhibition from 8 April 2022 to 26 February 2023 at the Miller Learning Room, The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace. The film was also used for the multimedia guide at the exhibition.
Later the same year, to mark the launch of their collaboration with The Met, Dr. Martens X The MET (Katsushika Hokusai), Dr. Martens asked Imada to create a “Dr. Martens X The Met” logo in woodblock print commemorating the partnership. The filming team spent the day with Hiroko in her studio to learn more about the enduring art of Japanese woodblock printing. There is a link - Carving a Legacy, DMs X The MET | Hiroko Imada on Dr. Martens official webpage which includes the video and text of the interview.
In 2024, Watts Gallery in Guilford commissioned to create a site-specific installation work “Sakura saku” to demonstrate the enduring influence of the historic process of Japanese woodblock printing. The gallery also comissioned to create a print to make a film of the printing process to show the way each colour added separately to create the overall design. The film, the step by step prints with final version of print, and carved blocks displayed at Edo Pop: Japanese Prints 1825 - 1895 exhibition.
Imada also specialises in teaching Japanese woodblock printing, papermaking, folded screen making, and hanging scroll making. In 2000 she established the Japanese woodblock printing course at the British Museum and in 2017 at the King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts, and has been teaching it in both organisations regularly since then. She has taught Japanese art related workshops at the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin each year since 2008.
Imada has works in the collections of the Vantaa Art Museum, Finland; the Youth Foundation, Oporto, Portugal; the British School in Rome, Italy; Berlin City Library, Germany; Children and Youth Art Library, Germany; Central Japan Railway Company, Japan; Tokyo Electric Power Company; Nisshinbo Trade Union, Japan; University College London, UK; Telehouse London, UK; as well as many other public and private collections.
Curriculum Vitae
Education
Apr 1984 - Mar 1988
Tokyo Zokei University, Fine Art Department, Tokyo, Japan
Oct 1990 - Jun 1992
The Slade School of Fine Art, University College London Postgraduate in Printmaking, London
Scholarships & Grants
1982
Suidobata Art School Scholarship
1985,86 & 87
Tokyo University of Art and Design Scholarship
1991
University College London Scholarship for Overseas Students
1992
Overseas Study, Druckwerkstatt Studio Berlin
1992
The British Council Fellowship
1993
Artist in Residence, Westminster Adult Education Institute, London
1997&98
Artist in Residence, Donnington Grove Society, Newbury
1999
Artist in Residence, Queen Elizabeth Six Form College, Darlington
2000
The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese foundation Grant2000, The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation Grant
2018
Artist in Residence, The Guanlan Original Printmaking Base, Shenzhen, China
Selected Solo Exhibitions
Jul 1993
The Japanese Artist in the World, Vol.4, Gallery Lunami, Tokyo, Japan
May-Jun 1995
Installation & Print Show, The Gallery, Falmouth College of Art, Falmouth (Japanese Connection 95 Event)
May-Jun 1995
Print Exhibition, Kenkou Gallery Taka, Tokyo, Japan
May-Jun 1996
Les Sylphides - Chopiniana - onto the Air, Daiwa Foundation Japan House, London
May 1997
Print Exhibition, Shitennoji Temple, Newbury (Newbury Spring Festival)
Sep-Oct 1997
Print Exhibition, R.K. Gallery, London
Feb 1998
Small Print Show, Watermill Theatre, Newbury
May 1998
Print Exhibition, The Corn Exchange, Newbury (Newbury Spring Festival)
Nov 1999
2D Work Exhibition, The Gallery, Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, Darlington
Jan 2000
Millennium Celebration, Installation Exhibition, Myles Meehan Gallery, Darlington Art Centre, Darlington
Jan-Mar 2000
2D Work Exhibition, The Foyer, Darlington Art Centre, Darlington
Nov-Dec 2001
Light on Water, Installation Exhibition, The Myles Meehan Gallery, Darlington Art Centre, Darlington (Japan 2001 Event)
Feb 2002
2D Exhibition, Desmoulin Gallery, Newbury (Japan 2001 Event)
Apr 2012
Northern Light, Installation Exhibition, Vernissa Cultural Centre, Vantaa, Finland (Tikaloikka4 - International Seminar of Dance Education for Children and Youths)
Mar 2013
Solo Exhibition, Riverside Studios Gallery, London (Japan 400 Event)
Sep -Oct 2015
Finlandia Rhapsody, Solo Exhibition, The Children’s Art Centre Pessi, Vantaa, Finland
May -Jun 2017
Hokusai: Making Waves, Interactive Installation as a part of ‘Hokusai: Beyond the Great Wave’ exhibition official event, The Great Court, The British Museum, London
Oct 2018
Shapes of Water, Solo Exhibition, Sway Gallery London, London
Jun-Jul 2021
Installation exhibition, The Wave Coventry, Coventry (Japan-UK Season of Culture)
Jul 2021
Interactive Installation, The Coventry Cathedral, Coventry (Japan-UK Season of Culture)
Nov 2021
Metamorphoses of Water, Solo Exhibition, Sway Gallery London, London (Japan-UK Season of Culture)
Mar - Oct 2024
Hiroko Imada at Watts as a part of Edo Pop: Japanese Prints 1825 - 1895 exhibition, site-specific installation work “Sakura Saku”, Watts Gallery, Guilford
Selected Group Exhibitions
Jul 1992
AD Fine Art Summer Show, Concourse Gallery, Barbican Centre, London
Sep 1992
Amadora Third Print Biennial, Amadora, Portugal
Dec 1992
Print Show 1992, Flowers East, London
Mar 1993
Japanese Contemporary Print Show, Flowers East, London
Jun 1993
20th International Biennial of Graphic Arts, Ljubljiana, Slovenia (Invited British Representative)
Nov 1993
Three-person Exhibition, Oriental Triangle, Youth Foundation Gallery, Oporto, Portugal
Apr 1996
The Contemporary Print Show, Concourse Gallery, Barbican Centre, London
Apr 97 - Dec 98
The Daiwa Foundation Anglo-Japanese Visual Arts Touring Show, Bridge, (U.K., Europe, Japan)
Dec 2003
Christmas Show, Richmond Atelier, London
Jun - Aug 2016
Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition 2016, Royal Academy of Arts, London
Oct 2017
Contemporary Japanese Printmaking Art 50 Artists, Sculpture Museum, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Zagreb, Croatia
Aug - Sep 2018
Contemporary Asian Printmaking Exhibition, Hsinchu, Taiwan
Dec 2019
All Things Ink exhibition organised by Degree Art, Bankside Hotel, London
Jan - Mar 2023
Cultural Fusion 2023, Online exhibition by Blok Design Associates, Brisbane, Australia
July 2023
Art Below Hyde Park Corner 2023, Art Below Summer Show 2023 (Ad Lib Gallery, London)
Nov 2023
Art Below Hyde Park Corner 2023, Art Below Winter Show 2023 (Ad Lib Gallery, London)
Major Commissions
2015 Vertu ( British luxury phone manufacturer)
2019 Universal Pictures
Created a painting used for a specific scene of the Hollywood film “Fast and Furious 9” . The film premired in 2021.
2021 The British Museum
Created a woodblock print inspired by Hokusai’s drawing and its process was recorded to create a film to run at the exhibition ‘Hokusai: The Great Picture Book of Everything’ from 30 September 2021 to January 2022 at the British Museum.
2022 The Royal Collection Trust, The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace
2024 Watts Gallery, Guilford
Commissioned to create a site-specific installation work “Sakura saku” to demonstrate the enduring influence of the historic process of Japanese woodblock printing. The gallery also comissioned to create a print to make a film of the printing process to show the way each colour added separately to create the overall design. The film, the step by step prints with final version of print, and carved blocks displayed at Edo Pop: Japanese Prints 1825 - 1895 exhibition.
Theatre Design
May 1986
Set Design, Pynes Gray Dance Group， Plan B, Tokyo
Feb－Mar 1994
Set Design, Qi Affinities, a Japanese/Western dance performance, The Place Theatre & Union Chapel, London
Feb－Apr 1995
Set & Costume Design, Hanjo by Zeami & Yukio Mishima, Studio Theatre, London & touring in UK
Dec 1995
Costume Design, A Story of House Spirit, Lilian Baylis Theatre, Sadlers Wells, London
Apr 1997
Costume Design, Bluebeard’s Castle by Syuji Terayama, ICA Theatre, London
Jan 1998
Set & Costume Design, Arc Lamp, Feat Dance Company, The Place Theatre, London
Mar 2015
VEGA, collaboration work with Pell Ensemble at the Vaults, London (Supported by Arts Council of England)
Open Studios
1999 - 2014 ACAVA Palace Wharf Studios, London
2014 - 2018 Make Space Studios, London
2019 Merton Arts Festival Open Studios, London
Regular Workshops and Teachings
2000 -
The British Museum Japanese Woodblock Printmaking course, London
2000 -
Japanese woodblock printing, The Japan Society ( formerly Japan Festival Education Trust and Japan 21)
2008 -
Japanese art lelated course, The Chester Beatty Library, Dublin, Irland
2017 -
The King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts, Japanese Woodblock Printmaking course, London
Selected Media Coverage - Newspaper & Magazine
5 May 1992
The Times, Saturday Review, Young art runs free by David Cohen
25 Feb 1994
Asahi Shimbun
Mar 1994
Insight Japan. Portfolio
1995
What's On Inside Cornwall, Oh, Noh, oh Noh
1995
The Stage, Hanjo by Frances Comford
1995
Western Morning News, Orient expressed by Tim Lusher
1995
Falmouth Packet, Japanese sculptor spearheads college programme
1995
Falmouth/Penryn Reader, Japanese artist's exhibition
1995
The West Briton and Royal Cornwall Gazette, Through Eastern eyes...
1995
Leader Falmouth
16 May 1996
Yomiuri Shinbun
1997
Newbury Weekly News, Artist takes up new residency by Hugh Bodin
18 Mar 1997
Japan, Young Japanese Artist’s Residency
23 Jul 1998
Jordan Times, Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts; International Participation
1999
The Northern Echo Old and new join forces in college's paper project
1999
The Northern Echo, Old and new skills
1999
Darlington and Stockton Times, Stuff of fiction, but fibre by P.E.
2000
Darlington & Stockton Times Talks on the art of making paper
7 Jan 2000
Evening Gazette, Events, Galley turning Japanese by Keith Newton
2000
The Northern Echo, Eyes from the East on Japanese paperwork
13 Jan 2000
Northern Echo, 7 days Galleries Theatre, Paperweight Champion by Viv Hardwick
2000
Evening Gazette Event
14 Jan 2000
Darlington & Stockton Times, Arts Review, Wishes takes wings
25 Jan 2000
Japan, Hiroko Imada in residence at Queen Elizabeth Six Form College
2001
Derby Evening Telegraph A chip off the old woodblock
9 Nov 2001
Darlington & Stockton Times, Arts Review, Take a break and see the light by P.E.
20 Nov 2001
Japan, A Celebration of Japan in Darlington
15 Dec 2001
Independent, The Information by Peter Chapman
24 Jan 2002
Newbury News, Traditional art of illumination
2002
Newbury Weekly News, Shedding light on tradition
2003
Japan, Illuminated the art go the woodblock print
Sep 2011
Saatchi Art Online (Art We Love This Week)
28 Apr 2012
Vantaan Sanomat, Japanilaistaide nakyy Vanyaa
Mar 2013
Japan 400, ART: Hiroko Imada: Works on Nature, Dance & Movement
Mar 2013
Japan-UK Event Calendar, Hiroko Imada Solo Exhibition, Nature & Dance/Movement
18 Mar 2013
Metro, London Tonight
21 Mar 2013
Diverse Japan, Art Exhibition Review, Works on Nature & Dance/Movement by Hiroko Imada
29 Mar 2013
Asian Art Brief, Hiroko Imada Show
23 Sep 2015
Yle News Online, Finland, Artist puts Japanese stamp on Finnish forest scenes
Oct 2015
Saatchi Art Online (Spotlight on London for Frieze Week Collection)
Jun 2016
Saatchi Art Online (Saatchi Art Artists at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2016)
https://www.saatchiart.com/shows/royal-academy
Sep 2018
Japan-UK Event Calendar, Embassy of Japan
29 Sep 2018
Free & Cheap Things To Do This Week In London: 1-7 October 2018 by Maire Rose Connor
28 Oct 2018
FAD magazine, The Top 7 Art Exhibitions to see in London this week by Tabish Khan
30 Oct 2018
Londonist Things to do today in London: Tue 30 October by Tabish Khan
19 Mar 2021
Sway Gallery London, Interview with Artists Interview with Artists Vol.5: Hiroko Imada
Jun 2021
Coventry UK City of Culture 2021, Giant Waves by Hiroko Imada
8 Jun 2021
2021
https://freshonair.co.uk, Japanese artist celebrates Olympics with symbolise artwork by David Watkins
18 Jun 2021
Coventry Observer, Japanese paper art installed at The Wave in Coventry
April 2023
COS Magazine Issue 4, One to One, Hiroko Imada
Spring 2024
Watts Magazine Issue 49, In conversation with Hiroko Imada
TV News
24 May 1995 West Country News, West Country TV
19 Nov 1998 BBC News, BBC1
9 Nov 2001 North East Today, Tyne Tees Television
Nov 2001 BBC News, BBC1
23 Sep 2015 Yle News, Finland
Collections
Central Japan Railway Company, London
Telehouse International Corporation of Europe Ltd, London
Tokyo Electric Power Company, London
University College London, London
School Art Loan Services, Leeds
Vantaa Art Museum, Vantaa, Finland
Nisshinbo Trade Union, Tokyo
Statdtische Galerie, Kinder u. Jugend Artothek, Viersen, Germany
Artothek, Berliner Stadtbibliothek, Berlin, Germany
Artotheck der Zentralbibliothek, Moor und Graphoteck Reinickendorf, Berlin, Germany
The British School in Roma, Roma, Italy
The Youth Foundation, Oporto, Portugal
