Artist's Statement Selected Exhibitions Selected Bibliography Features and Awards Permanent Collections Biography Artist's Statement Being of Japanese heritage and having underlying Eastern philosophies, I am profoundly aware of my native aesthetic.  At the same time, for many years I have been exposed to international influences which continue to affect my work at both conscious and unconscious levels. As a multicultural artist, I wrestle with both the Western conception of art, based on the notion of individualism, and the Eastern perceptions that are rooted in long established tradition. Over the years, some of my work including Collagraph prints have evolved with the metaphysical notion of an illusive, flat surface into an actual three-dimensional depth. I construct multiple prints in an unconventional way to create a single work of art which often implies ambiguity in the duality between microcosm, in which the human body itself provides an archetype of the universe, and macrocosm, in which nature can contain either the centrifugal forces of energy as well as the changing process of evolution and erosion. The layers of desiccated and eroded paper peel back image of magma from the center core of the Earth – the vitalities of the natural phenomena or the boiling passion and rage of human emotions revealed. I depict these traits with the detail and flow of contours, visual masses and flux. I often use genuine Japanese traditional materials such as Washi paper, Nikawa and Funiri glue as well as Sumi ink with natural pigment, Ganryo and the Urauchi and Mizubari method.  I apply these in creating nontraditional singular Monotype prints and Collagraph print constructions. Selected Exhibitions 2008 "The Artist Project", Toronto Exhibition and sale of contemporary fine art featuring juried independent artists from across North America, presented by the Merchandise Marts Properties 2007 "Resistance to Vision: Searching, Sifting, Finding, Seeing" International juried exhibit, curated by Prof. Dana Saulnier, at MANIFEST Creative Research Gallery and Drawing Center, Cincinnati, OH 2007 Invitational: Selection of Etching Print The Algonquin Public Art Commission Program 2007 " The Artist Project" of ARTROPOLIS Running concurrently with Art Chicago 2007, a new juried exhibition showcasing the works of cutting edge artists, presented by The Merchandise Mart Properties 2006 "The 3rd Print Biennial Competition" Loyola University Chicago & Crown Center Gallery, Chicago, IL 2006 "The 26th National Print Exhibition" at Artlink Contemporary Gallery in Fort Wayne, IN 2005 "Yumiko Irei- Gokce's New Works" at Kraft Lieberman Gallery in Chicago, IL 2004 "Artist Inspired Toys" Exhibit at Kraft Lieberman Gallery in Chicago, IL 2004 "Constructions and Revelations" at The Noyes Cultural Arts Center in Evanston, IL Sponsored by The Evanston Arts Council and Partially Sponsored by a Grant from The Illinois Arts Council, a State Agency. 2003 "An Exhibition of Selected Gallery Artists" at Kraft Lieberman Gallery in Chicago, IL 2002 "Contemporary Art of Chicago" A Multi-Media Exhibition of Artists Living and Working in Chicago and Vicinity, Organized and Presented by The Chicago Athenaeum at Schaumburg , IL 2001 "Private Sanctuary" Collaborative Exhibition by The Three Artists at Walsh Gallery in Chicago, Organized And Sponsored by The City of Osaka, Chicago Office The Osaka Committee of The Chicago Sister Cities International Program 2001 "Art Scene Chicago" The Work of Over 60 Chicago Artists Presented by The Chicago Athenaeum at Schaumburg, IL 2000 "Earth And Sky" Works of 30 Chicago Artists at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport Organized by The Department of Aviation Chicago, IL 1999 "Into The Future" An Exhibition by Japanese Artists in Chicago and in Japan at Japan Information Center in Chicago, IL 1999 "From Here To The Next Chapter" An Exhibition by Studio's Artists at Arena Atelier Creative Zone in Chicago, IL 1999 "Works On Paper: Print, Drawings, And Collage" Juried Show at Fine Arts Building Gallery in Chicago 1999 "Contrasts: New Abstract & Narrative" Invitational Group Exhibit , Printmaking in Chicago" at Suburban Fine Arts Center, Highland Park, IL 1998 "Ink Show" Invitational Group Exhibit, Walsh Gallery Chicago, IL 1997 Group Exhibit: Participation To Summer Fest in La Chaux-De-Fonds, Swizerland 1997 Midwest Juried Print Show of North Shore Art League At Loyola University - Chicago, IL 1996 "American Artists And The Collagraph Prints" The Breck School, Minneapolis, MN 1991 "Impulse '91", Pyramid Atlantic, Washington, D.C. An Exhibit of Fax Technology, including Drawings, Writings, and Other Images 1989 "Yumiko Irei-Gokce: All Eyes On Gallery Row" Corcoran Gallery, Muskegon, MI 1989 "Yumiko Irei-Gokce: Paper Constructions And Installations" Gallery Vienna and Gallery Vienna Annex in Chicago, IL 1988 "Art in Washi" Mexico International Exhibition, Mexico City, Mexico 1987 "Japanese Art Today: Kamae" Exhibition, The South London Art Gallery, London, England Supported by The Japan Foundation 1987 "Yumiko Irei-Gokce: Tokyo-Osaka Back- To- Back" at Gallery Space 21, Tokyo and Amano Gallery, Osaka Japan 1987 "Yumiko Irei-Gokce: Print Constructions" at Akiyama Gallery, Tokyo, Japan 1985 "Yumiko Irei-Gokce: Print Constructions" at Tokyo American Center, Tokyo, Japan 1983 "35th Illinois Invitational State Museum" at Springfield, IL 1983 "Yumiko Irei-Gokce Exhibit" at Dr. Gleicher and Associates, Chicago, IL 1981 "New Dimensions" at Co-Op Gallery in The Evanston Art Center, Evanston , IL 1981 "The Print Club 57th Annual Print Competition" Philadelphia, PA 1980 "Yumiko Irei-Gokce: The Gallery in The Library" Presented by The Barrington Area Art Council, Barrington, IL   Selected Bibliography G. Jurek Polanski: Visual Arts Correspondent for Art Scope.net. exhibition review,"Spectrum : Contemporary Art of Chicago", 2002 Tania Ralli: Art Review / Contributing Writer for METROPOLIS Chicago Journal, Exhibition review,"Private Sanctuary" at Walsh Gallery, Chicago in 2001. "Turning Japanese: Walsh Gallery show a hybrid of Japanese, U.S. influences" Robert Kameczura: Chicago based art writer, Artist, Photographer, and Critic for the BIG SHOULDERS MAGAZINE, who selected Yumiko Irei-Gokce for The Best Established Artist: Best of visual art in 2003 for the Chicago Artists’ Coalition news in January 2004 issue Tadashi Akatsu: art critic, in Tokyo, Japan "Yumiko Gokce’s Inner Universe" exhibition essay, Tokyo American Center 1984 Fred Harris: art journalist, from Tokyo, Japan "Yumiko Gokce’s Exhibit", The Tokyo American Publication 1985 Robin Berrington: Director of Tokyo American Center, Catalogue essay, Akiyama Gallery, Tokyo 1986 Barbara Thoren: Art Critic, living in Tokyo, Japan Exhibition review, "Yumiko Gokce at Akiyama Gallery" The Japan Times, Feb.1986 Janet Koplos: Art Critic, and Editor for Art in America Exhibition review, "Yumiko Gokce" in the Asahi Evening News, Jan. 1986 Fusako Araki: Art Historian, in Tokyo, Japan comments on "Yumiko Gokce's Work" for Ryusei Monthly, Jan. 1986 Nobuo Yoshikawa: Art Writer / Artist in Tokyo, Japan essay on "Yumiko Gokce at Akiyama" for monthly GROUP R-JUNI Edward Gomez: Art Writer / Correspondent for TIME magazine "Technique and Texture : Yumiko Gokce’s Collagraph Printworks" catalogue essay on "Tokyo-Osaka: Back to Back" exhibits, May 1987 Amaury Saint-Gills: Art Writer/Gallery Director in Tokyo Review Article on "Yumiko Gokce" at Gallery Space 21, Mainichi daily News, Japan, April, 1987 Edward Gomez: Art Writer / Correspondent for TIME magazine "Contemporary artist plow ahead" article for The Japan Times, April 1987 An article "Expression of Time & Universe" on "Japanese Art Today : KAMAE" Exhibition, London 1987 for the monthly publication ( Living in Europe-London ) Karen Dilsaver: Poet/Artist/Art Writer, "Crossing Borders" exhibition article on ( Paper Constructions ) at Gallery Vienna Annex, May 1989 Akira Kumagai: Reporter/Journalist for The New York Yomiuri, "Art of Time and Energy" Exhibit article, June 1989 John Allen: Art Critic, Review article on Yumiko At Corcoran Gallery Show "All eyes on Gallery Row" for The Chronicle, Muskegan, Michigan, Oct. 1989 Features, Awards & Community Service 2007 Panel Judge for the 2007 Community Arts Assistance Program (CAAP) Grant Committee, the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs 2000 "ART SCENE Chicago 2000" Featured in book by Crow Woods Publishing Evanston, IL 1989 FM Radio Interview Interviewed during the Paper Construction Exhibition at the gallery Vienna Annex by Chicago Nippon Hoso: FM Radio Broadcast for Japanese-American communities in the U.S. 1988 NHK Television Interview Her work of Collagraph Print Construction was featured in the Paper and Contemporary Art in Japan program by NHK, the Japanese national television network 1988 Contemporary Print Award Mexico National Museum of Graphic Arts, Mexico and Japan 1987 The Japan Foundation in London Exhibit Grant for the "Kamae" Exhibition 1983 Purchase Award, Illinois State Museum   Permanent Collections Illinois State Museum, Springfield, IL Northbrook Public Library, Northbrook, IL First National Bank of Skokie, Skokie, IL Confederation Life Insurance, Canada Burton Kleinman Inc., Chicago, IL The Creative Works, Chicago, IL Abbott International Ltd., Chicago, IL Holleb & Coff Ltd., Chicago, IL Fuji Graphic, Tokyo, Japan Gallery Space 21, Tokyo, Japan Gleicher & Associates, Chicago, IL Corcoran Gallery, Muskegan, Michigan And Various Private Art Collectors Biography Born in Osaka, Japan and Immigrated to the U.S. Worked as a Graphic Designer (1971-79) Full time artist since 1980 American Citizenship in 1994 Education Graduated from Naniwa College of Design, Osaka University of Fine Arts in Osaka, Japan. Studied The BAUHAUS Method of Graphic Design under Josef Muller-Brockmann of Switzerland GAKUSHOIN, The School of Calligraphy in Tokyo The OX-BOW School of the Art Institute of Chicago, special studies: "MONOTYPE" Extra Curricular Summer Exchange: Printmaking Workshop at "Contre Point" (Atelier 17) in Paris, 1990 Papermaking: Pyramid Atlantic, Washington D.C., Summer 1989 Thimi Village, Bhaktapur, Nepal, Fall 1990 Workshop Instructor "SHO as Brushwork" Class Art-Instructor at JASC (Japanese American Service Committee) YUMIKO'S ARENA ATELIER, Chicago Children's Class at the Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts, Chicago Other Presentations Art Talks and Slide presentations on the Contemporary Japanese Arts and Cultures in 1992, 1993, 1994 "Handmade Card Making Workshop"; proceeds used for Partners in Education     © Copyright 2007-2008 Yumiko Irei-Gokce.  All Rights Reserved.  Site developed by UBG Digital Media.