Kiichi Mishima "Seed to Sky"

Born in 1949, Kiichi Mishima creates wooden sculptures inspired by the humble bean. Early in the career, Mishima focused on figurative sculpture, but around the age of 60 the bean became both a symbol of personal renewal and the central motif of the practice. Since then, the work has explored the bean's vitality, quiet strength and its connection to the life-giving power of the earth. Growing up in Hokkaido, where beans cultivated in the family field were a familiar part of daily life, Mishima came to see carving beans from wood as an extension of farming itself. Through this process, the bean has become a reflection of personal identity and a symbol of the preciousness of life. A member of the Kokugakai, Mishima has exhibited in the Kokuten exhibition every year since 1971. In 1980, Mishima received the Shinkai Award at the 54th Kokuten, followed by a first solo exhibition at Miyuki Gallery in 1990. In 2014, Mishima won the Grand Prize at the 3rd Asago Art Competition. From monumental beans to clustered forms, the works on view reveal the many expressions of this enduring symbol of life. Visitors are encouraged to experience every sculpture through touch as well as sight.