TANABE Chikuunsai III
(b. 1940)
Tanabe was born to one of Japan's most prestigious bamboo pedigrees. Like his father, Tanabe Chikuunsai III, he attended art school and earned a
degree in sculpture. He is the chosen son, slated to become Tanabe
Chikuunsai IV, representing the fourth generation of bamboo artists in his
family.
After graduating from high school, he learned bamboo art from Okubo Shochikusai, who was Chikuunsai 1st best student. Later, Chikuunsai 3rd attended department of industrial craft design at Musashino Art University where he focused on design. Upon graduation from Musashino Art University, he returned to Sakai City and seriously studied bamboo art under Tsukayoshi Tadayoshi, who was another top
student of Chikuunsai 1st.
In 1965 Chikuunsai 3rd was admitted to Japanese Modern Art Exhibition and Nitten for the first time, and his Nitten exhibition piece was purchased by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He was given the name of Syochiku by Chikuunsai 2nd in 1969. In 1974, his Nitten piece titled Ho", "Square", was purchased by the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art. He has actively exhibited at the Japanese Modern Industrial Arts Exhibition, Nitten, Osaka Industrial Arts Exhibition and All Kansai Art Exhibitions. In 1991, at the age of 51, he assumed the name of Chikuunsai 3rd. Now, he wants to create a traditional style of bamboo art for the modern age, while utilizing the skills of the previous Chikuunsai generations.
In the past decade he has been showing his work overseas as well as in Japan. In 1998 he exhibited his art in Thailand, and the following year he had a solo exhibition in Boston, U.S.A. Later, he also had exhibitions in NY and San Francisco. Additionally, he has participated in the group shows with the artists in Korea and New Zealand.
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