Biography
Natsuki Takauji was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, currently lives and works in NYC. She is a faculty member at The Art Students League of New York and a director of Metal Sculptures at Sculptors Alliance for which she curated an exhibition "METAL" at Governors Island in 2017 and a virtual exhibition “Flux” in 2020. Solo exhibition venues include Berkeley College Gallery, Manhattan, NY, and Williamsburg Art & Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY. Most recent group exhibitions include "A special Exhibition for 130th Anniversary of National Association of Women Artists" at the Center for Contemporary Art in Bedminster NJ in 2019, curated by Jeffrey Wechsler, a former senior curator of the Zimmerli Art Museum, and "Time Space Existence" at Palazzo Mora hosted by European Cultural Centre during the 16th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy in 2018. Her work is held as private collections internationally and one of her oil fountain sculptures was acquired as a permanent collection of Yuko Nii Foundation. A collaborative public sculpture “Tree of Life” at Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY, as well as her first large-scale, interactive swing public sculpture, "Window", which was exhibited at Riverside Park 61st Street, Manhattan, were exhibited in 2014-15, and a succeeding swing sculpture "Window II" was installed at Rye Town Park, Rye, NY in 2019. She collaborated with Korean artist Haksul Lee on a socially engaging art project in the NYC community, "What Is Your Name?" which was made possible by the ArtPort Residency Program at the LaGuardia Airport, Queens, NY, and was selected for The Immigrant Artist Biennial, 2020. Currently it is a permanent collection of Port Authority of NY and NJ. Her latest interactive sculpture "Confession" was exhibited in September 2020, at the West 132nd Street Harlem Community Garden of NYC Parks GreenThumb.
Artist Statement
My practice is about making invisible ideas visible. What if you could see all the people in the world’s activities and movement visually at a glance. This seemingly crazy “what if” idea is the inspiration of my art. I believe whole human history, including art, has progressed because of the “what ifs”, creating new possibilities.
Earlier in my practice, I was focusing on expressing my personal and internal visions. Ever since I started to engage with the public through public art, my focus has shifted more toward making art to communicate with others by giving interactive experiences or throwing questions about preconceived perceptions and beliefs.
略歴
東京都出身、早稲田大学第一文学部文芸専修卒業後、ニューヨークに渡り、ジャクソンポロックやアイウェイウェイなど数々の著名アーティストを輩出した歴史あるアートスクール、アートスチューデンツリーグオブニューヨークにて絵画彫刻などを学び、ネサコーヘン賞など数々の賞を受賞。現在は同校にて金属彫刻の講師を勤める。主な展示はLesley Heller Gallery、Affordable Art Fair,、Berkeley College Gallery、The Center for Contemporary Art、Pomona Cultural Center、Williamsburg Art and Historical Centerなどニューヨークを拠点に制作、展示を行っている。主な大規模な野外彫刻の展示は、ブランコが作品の一部となっている “Window” がRiverside Park, Manhattanにて２０１４から１５年にかけて展示され、その第２作目となる “Window II” がRye Town Park, Ryeにて２０１９から２０年にかけて展示された。２０１８年にはヴェニスビエンナーレにおいて欧州文化センター主催 “Time Space Existence” 展に出展した。２０２０年のコラボレーション作品、“What Is Your Name?” はニューヨークのラガーディア空港で行われたアートポートプログラムにて人々との交流を通じて制作され、現在同作はPort Authority of NY and NJ（ニューヨーク・ニュージャージー港湾管理局）のコレクションとなっている。その他、Sculptors Alliance NY （彫刻家協会）主催の展示のキュレーションも行っている。
Natsuki Takauji was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, currently lives and works in NYC. She is a faculty member at The Art Students League of New York and a director of Metal Sculptures at Sculptors Alliance for which she curated an exhibition "METAL" at Governors Island in 2017 and a virtual exhibition “Flux” in 2020. Solo exhibition venues include Berkeley College Gallery, Manhattan, NY, and Williamsburg Art & Historical Center, Brooklyn, NY. Most recent group exhibitions include "A special Exhibition for 130th Anniversary of National Association of Women Artists" at the Center for Contemporary Art in Bedminster NJ in 2019, curated by Jeffrey Wechsler, a former senior curator of the Zimmerli Art Museum, and "Time Space Existence" at Palazzo Mora hosted by European Cultural Centre during the 16th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy in 2018. Her work is held as private collections internationally and one of her oil fountain sculptures was acquired as a permanent collection of Yuko Nii Foundation. A collaborative public sculpture “Tree of Life” at Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY, as well as her first large-scale, interactive swing public sculpture, "Window", which was exhibited at Riverside Park 61st Street, Manhattan, were exhibited in 2014-15, and a succeeding swing sculpture "Window II" was installed at Rye Town Park, Rye, NY in 2019. She collaborated with Korean artist Haksul Lee on a socially engaging art project in the NYC community, "What Is Your Name?" which was made possible by the ArtPort Residency Program at the LaGuardia Airport, Queens, NY, and was selected for The Immigrant Artist Biennial, 2020. Currently it is a permanent collection of Port Authority of NY and NJ. Her latest interactive sculpture "Confession" was exhibited in September 2020, at the West 132nd Street Harlem Community Garden of NYC Parks GreenThumb.
Artist Statement
My practice is about making invisible ideas visible. What if you could see all the people in the world’s activities and movement visually at a glance. This seemingly crazy “what if” idea is the inspiration of my art. I believe whole human history, including art, has progressed because of the “what ifs”, creating new possibilities.
Earlier in my practice, I was focusing on expressing my personal and internal visions. Ever since I started to engage with the public through public art, my focus has shifted more toward making art to communicate with others by giving interactive experiences or throwing questions about preconceived perceptions and beliefs.
略歴
東京都出身、早稲田大学第一文学部文芸専修卒業後、ニューヨークに渡り、ジャクソンポロックやアイウェイウェイなど数々の著名アーティストを輩出した歴史あるアートスクール、アートスチューデンツリーグオブニューヨークにて絵画彫刻などを学び、ネサコーヘン賞など数々の賞を受賞。現在は同校にて金属彫刻の講師を勤める。主な展示はLesley Heller Gallery、Affordable Art Fair,、Berkeley College Gallery、The Center for Contemporary Art、Pomona Cultural Center、Williamsburg Art and Historical Centerなどニューヨークを拠点に制作、展示を行っている。主な大規模な野外彫刻の展示は、ブランコが作品の一部となっている “Window” がRiverside Park, Manhattanにて２０１４から１５年にかけて展示され、その第２作目となる “Window II” がRye Town Park, Ryeにて２０１９から２０年にかけて展示された。２０１８年にはヴェニスビエンナーレにおいて欧州文化センター主催 “Time Space Existence” 展に出展した。２０２０年のコラボレーション作品、“What Is Your Name?” はニューヨークのラガーディア空港で行われたアートポートプログラムにて人々との交流を通じて制作され、現在同作はPort Authority of NY and NJ（ニューヨーク・ニュージャージー港湾管理局）のコレクションとなっている。その他、Sculptors Alliance NY （彫刻家協会）主催の展示のキュレーションも行っている。
Contact
takaujinatsuki@gmail.com