← Artists

Susumu Takashima

Born 1959: Hyogo, Japan
Lives in Tokyo, Japan

Susumu Takashima creates precise pattern from tiny organic lines, “playing” pencil or brush as if a musical instrument.

The artist’s approach to drawing is rooted in a desire to represent the purity of line. He selects a starting point on the paper and draws a repeated continuous line free­hand until a shape is formed. Because of the subtle changes in line quality, the linear composition creates an intricate stratified pattern in his finished work that suggests mountain ridges.

“Tools and materials are just a means for expression essentially; however, each shape in my works is to express the structure of the tools and materials themselves. I would rather play the tools and materials — like a musician playing an instrument — than represent something with them.”

As pencil tips dull or brush ink diminishes, the lines grow thicker or duller, as if they were the crescendo and decrescendo of a musical piece. As if creating a 12­tone étude, the artist selects colors by a roll of dice, picks a starting point, and draws fine, continued lines, repeated over and over until a larger pattern forms and the page is filled. With subtitles like “Drawing for Brushes, Ink, and Paper” and “Drawing for Pencil Sharpeners, Colored Pencils, and Canvas” Mr. Takashima continues his metaphor of artwork as musical composition.

The works created by Mr. Takashima are simple and geometric when viewed at a distance, reflecting a clean, organized Japanese aesthetic, but when viewed closely, they astound in their complexity and organic nature and the quiet grace and talent of the artist is revealed.

Susumu Takashima received degrees in architecture and painting from Musashino University in Tokyo Japan. His work is in the collection of the Ome Municipal Museum of Art, Ome, Tokyo, Japan. He lives with his wife in Tokyo, Japan.

The works are brush and ink on paper, colored pencil on gessoed canvas and metal point on paper or gessoed canvas.

A catalogue of the artist’s work is available.

Education
1982  BA Department of Architecture of Musashino Art University, Tokyo, Japan
1984  MA Department of Oil Painting of Musashino Art School, Tokyo, Japan
1987-88 Studies at the Institute Allende, Mexico

Solo Exhibitions

2022 Chandler Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
2019 Chandler Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
2015 Chandler Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
2012 Chandler Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
2012 Shonandai MY Gallery, Roppongi, Tokyo
2011 Gallery Hakudotei, Kyobashi, Tokyo
Motoazabu Gallery Sakudaira, Nagano
Shonandai MY Gallery, Roppongi, Tokyo
2010 Gallery Beaux, Ginza, Tokyo
Shonandai MY Gallery, Roppongi, Tokyo
2009 Shonandai MY Gallery, Roppongi, Tokyo
2008 Gallery Tems, Koganei, Tokyo

Selected Group Exhibition
2012 Art Kite Show/Forum Art Shop & Gallery, Tokyo and Gallery Asuka, Nara
“Encouragement of Learning” at the Municipal Museum of Art, Tokyo
ArtPad Art Fair, San Francisco, CA

2011 Kit + Takashima Exhibition/ Gallery Face to Face, Kichijoji, Tokyo
THE 2nd “WHAT IS DRAWING” EXHIBITION/ Galerie Simon, Ginza, Tokyo

2010 +PLUS Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair/ Tbi Art Forum, Tokyo
FLOWERS/ Gallery Satoru, Kichijoji, Tokyo
Six Faces Show/ Gallery Face to Face, Kichijoji, Tokyo
Art Kite Show, Gallery of Shizuoka University of Art and Culture, Hamamatsu and Chandler Fine Art,
San Francisco, CA

2009  Face, Face, Face Exhibition/ Shonandai MY Gallery, Roppongi, Tokyo
kun Start/ Borzano, Italy

Awards
2007 5th Contemporary Art Society of Japan (Examiner Special Prize)
2002 11th Memorial Exhibition of Aoki (Excellent Prize)
2000 14th Fine Art Exhibition in Tama (Grand Prix)
1998 3rd Contest for the Best Contemporary Art Work ’99 (Gallery Prize)
1997 1997 ABC Art Contest (Excellent Prize)
2nd Syowa Shell Contemporary Art Contest (Encouragement Prize)
1990 16th Exposition : France-Japan (Nihon TV Encouragement Prize)

Public Collections

Municipal Museum of Art, Tokyo, Japan
Haneda Airport, Tokyo, Japan