Sayume OKUDA
奥田 小由女
Osaka Prefecture / Recipient of the Order of Culture / Designated Person of Cultural Merit / Honorary Citizen of Hiroshima Prefecture and Miyoshi City / Member of the Japan Art Academy / President, Japan Contemporary Arts and Crafts Association / Advisor, The Japan Fine Arts Exhibition (Nitten)
- 1936
- Born in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture. Moved at age 3 to Kisa Town, Hiroshima Prefecture (now Miyoshi City).
- Maiden name: Sayume Kawai.
- * Influenced by creative doll-making, she moved to Tokyo after graduating from Nichokan High School, studying under Hayashi Toshiro at the Benimikai Doll Institute. She also trained in painting and sculpture.
- In her twenties, a trip to Europe exposed her to Western art and reaffirmed the beauty of Japanese aesthetics.
- Career Highlights
- 1960
- Exhibited and awarded at the Contemporary Doll Art Exhibition and Japan Women’s Doll Exhibition.
- 1972
- Awarded Special Selection at the 4th Nitten for A Certain Page.
- 1974
- Again awarded Special Selection at the 6th Nitten for Wind.
- 1988
- Minister of Education Award at the 20th Nitten for Poem of the Sea.
- 1989
- Japan Art Academy Award at the 21st Nitten for Flame Heart.
- From the late 1980s, expanded from doll works to large-scale relief sculpture.
- Honors
- 1998
- Member of the Japan Art Academy
- 2008
- Designated Person of Cultural Merit
- 2014–2022
- Chairman of Nitten
- 2020
- Awarded the Order of Culture
- Named Honorary Citizen of Miyoshi City (2014) and Honorary Citizen of Hiroshima Prefecture (2020)
- Currently active as one of Japan’s leading doll artists, also serving as President of the Japan Contemporary Craftsmen’s Association.
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