Ken'ichiro Taniguchi
°1976, Sapporo (JP) lives and works in Berlin (D) and Sapporo
The 'hecomi' sculptures by Ken'ichiro Taniguchi are based on found cracks in the urban space, transformed through a lot of craftsmanship into 3-dimensional layers in hard PVC which can be folded and unfolded.
Taniguchi's works are so-called 'Hecomi': cracks and fissures or broken off and damaged areas, created by natural forces, on man-made surfaces such as roads or walls. By looking only at their shape one can see that even hecomi, which have a bad image of being old and dirty, have various attractive characteristics such as surprising novelty, heartwarming charm and overwhelming power.
The 'Belgian series' was on view during our group exhibition Future Present Continuous winter 2023 and were made at the occasion of this exhibition and based on 'The Hecomi fittings', which is the act of laying a shiny yellow piece of PVC with an inorganic texture right into the crack, represents the attempt to change its negative being to something light, pop, and positive.
Starting by tracing the crack with pen on transparent foil, to create the sculpture’s basic template. This template is applied to yellow PVC and cut out by hand carefully. The resulting form is then cut down again into smaller parts and eventually re-assembled with the help of hinges. The crack's positive double can literally be folded and unfolded into different variations.
'Hecomi Fitting, the Belgian series': click on image for the explanation movie
Ken'ichiro Taniguchi (°1976, Sapporo, JP, lives and works in Berlin and Sapporo) studied Fine arts at the university of Hokkaido, Japan. He exhibits his work since 2001 in Germany, The Netherlands, Spain and Japan. Recent his work was on view at a.o. Higashikawa Arts Exchange Center, Hokkaido, Japan; J.R. Artbox, Sapporo, Japan; Sebastian Fath Contemporary, Mannheim, (D); Phoebus Rotterdam, the (NL); Mikiko Sato Gallery temporary, Hamburg,(D); The House of Paper Museum, Berlin, (D); Daejeon Art and Science Biennale (KR); N2 galeria, Barcelona, (ES); Japan museum Siebold Huis, Leiden (NL).
His work is held in several important collections a.t.a. Foundation Maeght (FR), DKV Foundation, (ES), Museum Rotterdam.
Available works
Request available works
Website of the artist: https://kenichirotaniguchi.com
Gallery Shows
Solo & duo
2024 upcoming May: 'tiptoe' duo exhibition with Wannes Lecompte
Group
2023 Future Present Continuous
Extended Curriculum Vitae
Solo Exhibitions
2023
Hecomi Study #49, Higashikawa Arts Exchange Center CentPure, Higashikawa, Hokkaido (JP)
Hecomi Study #48, JR ARTBOX, Sapporo (JP)
Hecomi Study #46 – Street Art, Sebastian Fath Contemporary, Mannheim, Germany
2022
Hecomi Study #45 – Melkkoppad, Phoebus Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2021
Hecomi Study #44, Temporary Space, Sapporo (JP)
Hecomi & City Study #43, Phoebus Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2020
Hecomi & City Study #42, Sebastian Fath Contemporary, Mannheim, Germany
2019
Hecomi & City Study #41, LUXELAKES・A4 Art Museum, Chengdu, China
Hecomi & City Study #40, Mikiko Sato Gallery, Hamburg, Germany
2018
Hecomi & City Study #39, N2 GALERIA, Barcelona, Spain
2017
Hecomi Study #37, Krankenhaus Hedwigshoehe, Berlin, Germany
Hecomi Study #36 – Rotterdam, Phoebus Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Hecomi Study #35, IAM ARTS, Munich, Germany
Hecomi Study #34, ART FORMOSA – Admira Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
Hecomi Study #33, Sebastian Fath Contemporary, Mannheim, Germany
Hecomi Study – Taipei and Mine city, Akiyoshidai International Art Village, Yamaguchi (JP)
2015
Hecomi Study #31, Hongo Shin Memorial Sculpture Museum, Sapporo (JP)
2014
Hecomi Study #30, N2 GALERIA, Barcelona, Spain
Hecomi Study #28, Temporary Space, Sapporo (JP)
2013
Hecomi Study #26 – Hecomi Casting, MIET AIR, Beers, the Netherlands
Hecomi Study #25, Mikiko Sato Gallery, Hamburg, Germany
2012
Hecomi Study #24, EC Gallery, Chicago, USA
Hecomi Study #22, Phoebus Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2011
Hecomi Study #20, N2 GALERIA, Barcelona, Spain
2010
Hecomi Study #19, TEMPORARY SPACE, Sapporo (JP)
Hecomi Study #18, Kik, Meppel, the Netherlands
2009
Hecomi Study #17, Souterrain, Berlin, Germany
Hecomi Study #16, Phoebus Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Hecomi Study #15, AD & A gallery, Osaka, Japan
2008
Hecomi Study #14, Mikiko Sato Gallery, Hamburg, Germany
Hecomi Study #13, Duende, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2007
Hecomi Study #12, Phoebus Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2005
Hecomi Study #10, CAI contemporary art international, Hamburg, Germany
Hecomi Study #9, Temporary Space, Sapporo (JP)
Hecomi Study #8, Temporary Space, Sapporo (JP)
2004
Hecomi Study #4, Phoebus Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2003
Hecomi Study, Temporary Space, Sapporo, Japan
2002
The Illustrated Hecomi Map of the World, LEDECO, Tokyo (JP)
2001
The Illustrated Hecomi Map of the World, Ausstellungsraum Taubenstrasse 13, Hamburg, Germany
Hecomi Installation 2001, MAKII MASARU FINE ARTS, Tokyo (JP)
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023
The 10th Hamburg Architecture Summer 2023 “Hecomi & City Study for Hamburg, #47”, MIKIKO SATO GALLERY temporary, Hamburg, Germany
Embossed and Tossed, The House of Paper Museum, Berlin, Germany
Treffen in der Unendlichkeit, Kunstraum R52L, Berlin, Germany
2022
Daejeon Art and Science Binnale 2022: Future of Cities, Daejeon Museum of Art, Daejeon, South Korea
Nature!, Sebastian Fath Contemporary, Mannheim, Germany
RIGHT SIZE XL, Galerie Phoebus Rotterdam, the Netherlands
2021
Tokyo Express, AN+ Art & Design Center, Ping An Finance Center, Shenzhen, China
Conversing with Nature, Higashikawa Arts Exchange Center CentPure, Hokkaido (JP)
Duo Exhibition with Joan Salo / Zenithal landscapes, N2 galeria, Barcelona, Spain
2020
The Bomb – 75 years after Nagasaki and Hiroshima, Japanmuseum SieboldHuis, Leiden (NL)
Linking Transformations – Positionen japanischer und norddeutscher Gegenwartskunst, Stadtgalerie Kiel, Germany
2019
Aufbrechen, Barlach Halle K, Hamburg, Germany
MONOCHROM, Sebastian Fath Contemporary, Mannheim, Germany
2018
Wissel Aziatisch Paviljoen 2018, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2017
Ube no sato Art Festa, Former Kibe elementary school, Ube, Yamaguchi (JP)
What Remains, CODA Museum, Apeldoorn, the Netherlands
2016
It really, really, could happen., TAV Barry Room Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
Datte Muchu Nandesu!, Tokiwa Museum, Kosui Hall, Ube, Yamaguchi (JP)
THE SPRING EXHIBITION 2016, Kunsthal Charlottenborg, Copenhagen, Denmark
Land-Scape / Land-Mark / Land-Shape, Mikiko Sato Gallery, Hamburg, Germany
2015
The 26th UBE Biennale, UBE tokiwa Museum, Yamaguchi, Japan
No Walles, Slaakhuys, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Rikuo Ueda and Ken’ichiro Taniguchi, Mikiko Sato Gallery, Hamburg, Germany
UBE Biennale at Shibuya Hikarie, Tokyo, Japan
2014
Kabinett #26, Hannover, Germany
The 26th UBE Biennale Model Exhibition, Tokiwa lake Hall, Yamaguchi (JP)
Sapporo International Art Festival 2014, Sapporo (JP)
Miniature Museum Ria and Lex Daniels, Gemeentemuseum, Den Haag, the Netherlands
2013
Mapping, NIU Art Museum, DeKalb, Illinois, USA
Das kleine Format, Mannheimer Kunstverein, Sebastian Fath Contemporary, Mannheim (D)
2012
Souvenir – Herinneren als object, 38cc, Delft, the Netherlands
1000 Jaar Rotterdam, Museum Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Auf-Brechen, Mannheim, Germany
2011
REACTION&REFLECTION, De Sassenpoort, Zwolle, the Netherlands
2010
Moeglichkeit III, Radi-um von Roentgenwerke AG, Tokyo (JP)
2009
TWINISM, Kunsthaus, Hamburg, Germany / AD&A gallery, Osaka (JP)
My First Art Collection, CBK, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Thieme Art Award, KunstRAI, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
2008
The 11th Taro Okamoto Award for Contemporary Art, Taro Okamoto Museum, Kawasaki (JP)
2007
linie+RAUM Mannheimer, Kunstverein, Mannheim, Germany
5-7-5, Kunsthaus Barlach Halle, Hamburg, Germany
Junge Kunst aus China-Japan-Korea, Galerie F92, Berlin, Germany
2006
Hecomi Study #A plan for a kitchen, R.T.Hansen Contemporary, Berlin, Germany
Hecomi Study #11 show with Toshiya Kobayashi, Sebastian Fath Contemporary, Mannheim, Germany
16-61-2006, Phoebus Rotterdam, the Netherlands
MINIMAL ILLUSIONS, villa MERKEL, Esslingen am Neckar, Germany
Ding-Dong! Kunstfestival, Altona, Hamburg, Germany
BEST OF, Sebastian Fath Contemporary, Mannheim, Germany
2005
B.R.T/Northern Europe Biennial Hamburg05, HafenCity, Hamburg, Germany
Views from abroad, Stadtgalerie Kiel, Kiel, Germany
2004
STEPPING ACROSS BORDERS, Modern Art Museum of Hokkaido, Sapporo (JP)
Yokoku 2005, CAI contemporary art international, Hamburg, Germany
Ein Tag, ein Bild, ein Raum, Sebastian Fath Contemporary, Mannheim, Germany
2003
Feine Ware(I-III) Plattform Taubenstrasse, Kunstverein Harburger Bahnhof, Harburg, Germany
Art of Sapporo 2003 19+1, Citizen Gallery of Sapporo, Sapporo (JP)
2002
Your Private Sky (after R. Buckminster Fuller), Phoebus Rotterdam, KunstRAI, Amsterdam (NL)
LIBRARY PROJECT, Media Tak Sendai, Sendai, Japan
Huku Kita Kita, Modern Art Bank WALD, Fukuoka, Japan
2001
Anstiftung zu einer neuen Wahrnehmung, Neues Museum Weserburg Bremen, Bremen,Germany
7 Rooms-ART MEETS 2001, Free Space PRAHA, Sapporo (JP)
2000
Contemporary Art Fair, Nagoya Citizen Gallery of Nagoya, Nagoya (JP)
1999
Kunst in handgepaeck, Fundbureau, Hamburg, Germany
1998
International Snow Sculpture Festival, Kemi, Finland
Awards, Grants and Residencies
2023
Paper Art Award, Bronze, Berlin, Germany
Grant from Asahi Shimbun Foundation (JP)
Grant from Nomura Foundation, Japan
2022
Grant from Stiftung Kunstfonds NEUSTART KULTUR, Germany
2020
Grant from Pola Art Foundation (JP)
Grant from Nomura Foundation (JP)
2019
Artist in Residence A4 Museum, Chengdu, China
2017-2018
Grant from The Pollock-Krasner Foundation, NY, USA
2016
Artist in Residence Taipei Artist Village, Taipei, Taiwan
2015
Grant from Asahi Shimbun Foundation (JP)
2014
Artist in Residence Hangar, Barcelona, Spain – Barcelona Hecomi Map Project
Grant from Nomura Foundation (JP)
Grant from Asahi Shimbun Foundation (JP)
The 26th UBE Biennale, nominated (selected as work for full size production, 2015), (JP)
The 1st Hongo Shin Memorial Sculpture Award, 1st prize (JP)
2013
Artist in Residence MIET Air, Beers, the Netherlands – Hecomi Casting Project
2012
Grant from Shiseido, Japan
2011
Grant from Asahi Shimbun Foundation, Japan
2010
Stichting KiK Art Program, Kolderveen, the Netherlands – Milk Factory Hecomi Map Project
2009
Thieme Art Award, nominated, the Netherlands
2008-2010
Grant from Agency for Cultural Affairs Government of Japan
2008 Artist in Residence Duende, Rotterdam, the Netherlands – Rotterdam Hecomi Map Project
The 11th Taro Okamoto Award for Contemporary Art, nominated, Japan
2001
Art documents Support Program by Shiseido, Japan
Public Sculpture
2018
Hecomi Study -The exploration of Sapporo′s shape 2018-, Sapporo Community Plaza, Japan
2015-2018
Hecomi Study for Kotoni-River, Sapporo, Japan
2012
Hecomi Study for CJIB #21, Leeuwarden, the Netherlands
1999
orange, Sapporo, Japan
Publication
2023
Hamburg City-Assembling, supported by Nomura Foundation
2022
Catalogue Daejeon Art and Science Binnale 2022: Future of Cities, publisher Daejeon Museum of Art, Daejeon, South Korea
2020
Catalogue LINKING TRANSFORMATIONS, publisher Stadtgalerie Kiel, Germany
2019
Catalogue Hecomi & City Study #41, publisher LUXELAKES・A4 Art Museum, China
Luxes’Island Hecomi Map, publisher LUXELAKES・A4 Art Museum, China
2018
Catalogue Kenichiro Taniguchi, publisher N2 Galeria, Spain
2015
Catalogue Hecomi Study for Sapporo, publisher Sapporo Art Foundation, Japan
2014
Barcelona Hecomi Map, supported by Nomura Foundation, ASAHI Shimbun Foundation
Catalogue Hecomi Study 2002-2014, publisher Phoebus Rotterdam, ISBN:978-90-75593-18-1
2013
Catalogue Kenichiro Taniguchi, publisher MIET AIR, the Netherlands
Brochure Hecomi Study #25, publisher MIKIKO SATO Gallery, text Hajo Schiff, Germany
Calendar 2013, publisher MIKIKO SATO Gallery, Germany
2010
Kolderveen Milk Factory Hecomi Map, publisher Kik, the Netherlands
2009
Berlin Mitte Hecomi Map, the Netherlands
Rotterdam Hecomi Map, publisher Phoebus Rotterdam, the Netherlands
DVD The Trail to Hecomi, publisher AD&A gallery, Japan
2008
Catalogue Hecomi Study 2003-2008, publisher MIKIKO SATO Gallery, Germany
Brochure Hecomi Study #14, publisher MIKIKO SATO Gallery, text Hajo Schiff, Germany
2006
Hamburg Altona Hecomi Map, publisher Senseo, Germany
Article
2023
Newspaper Hokkaido shinbun 20.09.2023, text: Michika Cho, Japan
2019
Book Tanz der Dinge/Things that dance text: Holger Hartung, Germany
Magazine O.tone Vol.124, text: Eri Yamauchi, Japan
2018
Magazine Aziatische Kunst Jaargang 48, Nr.3, text: Ching-Ling Wang, the Netherlands
Magazine Revistart No.189, text: Andrea Krafft, Spain
Newspaper Hokkaido shinbun 27.10.2018, text: Hideki Kyusai, Japan
2017
Magazine FOCUS 28 Oct + Nov, text: Yiyi, Li Yin-Qi, Taiwan
Art journalbeelden, text: Etienne Boileau, the Netherlands
2016
Newspaper Asahi Shimbun 23.03.2016, text: Ayako Hiizumi, Japan
2015
Newspaper Hokkaido shinbun 20.10.2015, text: Takashi Kamata, Japan
Magazine O.tone vol.83, Japan
Newspaper Mainichi shinbun 30.06.2015, text: Michiko Sato, Japan
Newspaper Hokkaido shinbun 04.03.2015, text: Toshio Nakamori, Japan
2014
Book Bruch – Shnitt – Riss text: Katharina Alsen/Nina Heinsohn, Germany
Newspaper Hokkaido shinbun 22.07.2014, text: Shigeyuki Iwamoto, Japan
2013
Magazine Die Kunst szene oT Juni-Juli, text: Hajo Schiff, Germany
Newspaper De Gelderlander 20.08.2013, text: Jaap Bak, the Netherlands
2012
Newspaper LEEUWARDER COURANT 23.02.2012, text: Peter Karstkarel, the Netherlands
2011
Book RISING – YOUNG ARTISTS TO KEEP AN EYE ON!, DAAB MEDIA GMBH, Germany
Newspaper La Vanguardia.Sumplemento-Culturas 09.02.2011, text: Noelia Hernandez, Spain
Magazine Eikyo Influencias Japonesas #01, text: Natalia Sanz, Spain
2010
Newspaper Hokkaido shinbun 26.07.2010, text: Nobuo Yamamoto, Japan
Newspaper De Stentor 13.04.2010, text: Heleen Geilenkirchen, the Netherlands
Magazine Fensterplatz -Strasse, text: Ann-Cathrin Drews, Germany
2009
Magazine sleek -magazine for art and fashion- Autumn, Germany
Magazine KUNSTBEELD No 3, text: Roos van Put, the Netherlands
Newspaper het financieele dagblad 21.2.2009, text: Anne Berk, the Netherlands
2008
Magazine Artforum December, text: Wolf Jahn, USA
Web-magazine PEELER, interviewer: Aoi Kisaka, Japan
Magazine Art magazine 11.2008, Germany
Web-magazine Art -Das Kunstmagazine 9.2008, text: Barbara Hein Germany
2006
Newspaper Mannheimer Morgen, text: Susanne Kaeppele, Germany
2005
Newspaper Querschnit, text: Marek Storch, Germany
Newspaper WELT, text: Katja Engler, Germany
In Collection
Stadtgalerie Kiel, Kiel, Germany
DKV Foundation, Barcelona, Spain
olor VISUAL collection, Barcelona, Spain
Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, the Netherlands
Museum Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
Miniature Museum of Contemporary Art, Den Haag, the Netherlands
Bijzondere Collecties Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Maeght Foundation, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France
Javier Marin Foundation, Mexico City, Mexico
Krankenhaus Hedwigshoehe, Berlin, Germany
Higashikwa town, Hokkaido, Japan