Junko Oki
Junko Oki engraves stories of life onto textiles, with each stitch placed meticulously by hand. Without the guide of an underdrawing, she creates unique motifs and patterns by freehand stitching and by rejecting the structured tradition of embroidery. Although her works display seemingly rudimentary techniques, the artist’s instinctive approach awakens a visceral reaction in viewers. Through her unique embroidery and careful attention, Junko Oki breathes new life into aged textiles, frames, and other objects. These objects, with years of stories already embedded into them, are revived by Oki’s hand through a series of attentive stitches. They include everything that came into being, and chronologies that once existed but are now gone. At the core of Oki’s creative process is a discovery of new horizons through layered impressions of time.
Junko Oki was born in Urawa, Japan in 1963, and is currently based in Kamakura. Oki’s major solo exhibitions include “Moon and chrysalis” (Shiseido Gallery, Tokyo, 2017), “anthology” (Hagi Uragami Museum, Yamaguchi, 2020), and “OKI Junko: The Exposed” (The Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura Annex, 2022). Her works were also featured in group exhibitions such as “GO FOR KOGEI” (Natadera Temple, Ishikawa, 2021), “FUJI TEXTILE WEEK” (Fujiyoshida City, Yamanashi, 2023), and “Imaginal Crafts” (National Crafts Museum, Ishikawa, 2024). Her book “PUNK” was published by Bungei Shunju in 2014. Oki’s work has been acquired by the Urawa Art Museum, The Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura & Hayama, the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, and BY ART MATTERS.
WORKS
INSTALLATION VIEW
BIOGRAPHY
- 1963 Born in Saitama, Japan
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1991
Graduated from Setsu Mode Seminar
Lives and works in Kanagawa, Japan
CV
Solo Exhibitions
- 2024 “Promise” KOSAKU KANECHIKA, Tokyo, Japan
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2022
“yoretsuremotsure” KOSAKU KANECHIKA, Tokyo, Japan
“OKI Junko: The Exposed” The Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura & Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan - 2021 “Yobitsugi” KOSAKU KANECHIKA, Tokyo, Japan
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2020
“Embroidery” KOSAKU KANECHIKA, Tokyo, Japan
“anthology” Hagi Uragami Museum, Yamaguchi, Japan - 2019 “Truly Indispensable” Office Baroque, Brussels, Belgium
- 2018 “sense and sweetness” KOSAKU KANECHIKA, Tokyo, Japan
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2017
“Moon and chrysalis” Shiseido Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
“JUNKO OKI” Office Baroque, Brussels, Belgium - 2016 “gris gris” DEE'S HALL, Tokyo, Japan
- 2015 “PUNK” DEE'S HALL, Tokyo, Japan / MORIS, Hyogo, Japan / Morioka Shoten, Tokyo, Japan
- 2014 “Red” DEE'S HALL, Tokyo, Japan
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2013
“Zeze Hihi” shima, Aichi, Japan
“culte a la mode” DEE'S HALL, Tokyo, Japan
“culte a la carte” COW BOOKS, Tokyo, Japan
“Tattoo” Gallery B, Kanagawa, Japan - 2012 “Outsider” DEE'S HALL, Tokyo, Japan
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2011
“poesy” Morioka Shoten, Tokyo, Japan / COW BOOKS, Tokyo, Japan / shima, Aichi, Japan(2011–2012)
“Mental Nourishment” DEE'S HALL, Tokyo, Japan -
2009
“Prayer” gallery feve, Tokyo, Japan
“Recycle” ARTS & SCIENCE Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan
Group Exhibitions
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2024
“Earth, Wind, and Fire: Visions of the Future from Asia” Okura Museum of Art, Tokyo, Japan
“Imaginal Crafts” National Crafts Museum, Kanazawa, Japan
“Here and There and Back Again, Japanese Art 1964 – 2024” Nicolas Krupp, Basel, Switzerland
“ONE SINGLE BOOK” Gallery Koyanagi, Tokyo, Japan -
2023
“FUJI TEXTILE WEEK 2023” Around Honcho-Street, Shimoyoshida, Fujiyoshida City, Yamanashi, Japan
“WORLDS IN BALANCE: ART IN JAPAN FROM THE POSTWAR TO THE PRESENT” Okura Museum of Art, Tokyo, Japan
“Collection Exhibition 1 It Knows: When Forms Become Mind” 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan - 2021 “GO FOR KOGEI 2021” Natadera Temple, Ishikawa, Japan
- 2019 “Where We Now Stand—In Order to Map the Future [2]” 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
- 2018 “Yamagata Biennale 2018” Bunshokan, Yamagata, Japan
- 2017 “Junko Oki | Masaho Anotani” KOSAKU KANECHIKA, Tokyo, Japan
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2016
“Nous—sewing and living” 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
“finding Ling-Ling’s head” cookie butcher, Antwerp, Belgium
“8 femmes” Office Baroque, Brussels, Belgium
Public Collections
- Urawa Art Museum, Urawa, Japan
- Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura & Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
- 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan
- BY ART MATTERS, Hangzhou, China
Awards
- 2017 The 11th shiseido art egg, shiseido art egg Award
PRESS
EXHIBITIONS





