Biography

Hiraku Suzuki (born 1978 Miyagi, Japan) currently lives and works in Tokyo, Japan, and obtained an M.F.A. at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts in 2008.

Hiraku Suzuki considers “drawing” as something between pictures and language, and his artistic practice explores the new potential that this definition implies which encompasses two-dimensional works, sculpture, installations, murals, video, and performance. Utilizing light-reflective mediums often in the artworks, he develops the theory of deconstructing the traces of signs that are distributed in our everyday world and rearranging them through a physical implementation to generate new circuitry in space and time. Inspired by diverse spheres that range from calligraphy to art history, experimental music notation to anthropology, the artist describes his method as “alternative archaeology”. Traversing boundaries between the past and the future, the light and the shade, or the internal and the external, Suzuki continues to expand and excavate the field of drawing.

In 2011, Hiraku Suzuki completed a residency at Chelsea College of Art, London, and lived and worked in the US in 2011–12 with a grant from the Asian Cultural Council, and in Germany in 2012–13 with a grant from the Pola Art Foundation. He has shown in exhibitions at a long list of prestigious museums throughout Japan and internationally including Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (2019-2020); Yinchuan Museum of Contemporary Art, China (2016); Wroclaw Architectural Museum, Poland (2015); Kunstraum Düsseldorf, Germany (2015); Maison de la culture du Japon a Paris, France (2015); 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan (2012); Location One, New York, USA (2011) and Mori Art Museum, Tokyo (2010), and has led the platform for alternative drawing research and practice “Drawing Tube” since 2016. Suzuki frequently collaborates with artists from other fields such as musicians and poets, and has carried out many large-scale public projects. Published books of his works include GENGA (2010) and SILVER MARKER―Drawing as Excavating (2020). Since 2021 he is an associate professor at Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate School of Fine Arts, Global Art Practice.

Download full CV (English)

 

Education

2008 M.F.A., Tokyo University of the Arts, Department of Intermedia Art
2001 B.F.A., Musashino Art University, Department of Imaging Arts and Sciences

 

Awards and Grants

2023 Japanese Government Oversea Research Program Grant, Agency for Cultural Affairs, residency at DRAWinternational, Caylus, France
2017 FID PRIZE 2017 International Drawing Contest Grand Prize
2012 Pola Art Foundation fellowship, Berlin, Germany
2011 Asian Cultural Council (ACC) fellowship, residency at Location One, New York, US,
2011 Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture fellowship, residency at Chelsea College of Arts, London, UK
2009 Redbull House of Art Residency, Sao Paulo, Brazil
2009 Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture fellowship, residency at Art Space, Sydney, Australia

 

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2023.09 Excavation Today, The Museum of Modern Art in Gunma, Japan
2020.02 Before the Cypher, OIL Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
01 Silver Marker and Some Stones, agnés b. galerie boutique, Tokyo, Japan
2019.09 Excavating Reflections, Galerie Chantiers Boite Noire, Montpellier, France
07 The Wall 01- Hiraku Suzuki, Sapporo Odori 500-m Underground Walkway Gallery, Hokkaido, Japan
2018.10 The Writing of Meteors, Each Modern, Taipei, Taiwan
04 Traffic, Art Front Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2017.10 Hiraku Suzuki: Special Exhibition in collaboration with Arts Maebashi, rin art association, Gunma, Japan
2016.10 Constellations, Seibu Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
2015.09 GENZO, Misa Shin Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
04 Signs of Faraway, Aomori Contemporary Art Center, Aomori, Japan
2013.03 Excavated Reverberations, Daiwa Anglo Japanese Foundation, London, UK
08 Glyphs of the Light, WIMBLEDON space, London, UK
2010.12 U, island MEDIUM, Tokyo, Japan
06 GENGA and Recent Drawings, Galerie du Jour Agnes b., Paris, France
2008.02 NEW CAVE, Tokyo Wonder Site Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
2006.07 dig, Galerie du Jour Agnes b., Paris, France
2004.11 NAZO, UPLINK Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2003.02 Hiraku Suzuki Solo Exhibition, INAX Gallery 2, Tokyo, Japan
2000.07 bacteria sign, Gallery Fresca, Tokyo, Japan

 

Selected Group Exhibitions

2022.07 Arts Maebashi 10th Anniversary Collection, Arts Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
07 Interconnection, Hiraku Suzuki and Keita Mori, Mitsukoshi Contemporary Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2022.08 ROOTS & ARTS SHIRAOI, Former Shiraoi Hakkutsudo, Hokkaido, Japan
08 Art Front Selection 2022 summer, Art Front Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
07 Signals – Drawing Tube, NADiff a/p/a/r/t, Tokyo, Japan
03 MOT Collection – Garden of Light / Continuing Whispers, The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Japan
03 N/world, MtK Contemporary Art, Kyoto, Japan
01 Drawings – Plurality, PARCO MUSEUM TOKYO, Tokyo, Japan
2021.11 Traces of Life, Arts Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
10 EXPOSITION GRAFFITI ET LA GALERIE DU JOUR AGNÈS B. 1985 – 2021 – , La Fab, Paris, France
10 New Horizon (duo exhibition with Sohei Nishino), Each Modern, Taipei, Taiwan
09 EXPOSITION GRAFFITI ET LA GALERIE DU JOUR AGNÈS B. 1985 – 2021 – , La Fab, Paris, France
09 Wavering Light/ Diffusing Color, The Museum of Modern Art, Gunma, Japan
08 Summer Selection:Drawing Nature, Art Front Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
06 constellation #02, rin art association, Gunma, Japan
04 Next World – Taguchi Art Collection, Iwaki City Art Museum, Fukushima, Japan
2020.12 —INSIDE THE COLLECTOR’S VAULT, VOL.1—, WHAT, Tokyo, Japan
09 Intermedia Art 2020 / APPRATION, The university Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, Japan
06 constellation #01, rin art association, Gunma, Japan

2019.11 MOT Annual 2019 Echo after Echo : Summoned voices, new shadows, The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

11 Globe as a Palette ; Contemporary Art from The Taguchi Art Collection, Sapporo Art Museum, Hokkaido, Japan

09 DES PHOTOGRAPHES … DES ARTISTES ET LE CARDIGAN PRESSION, 17 rue Dieu, Paris
, France

09 Globe as a Palette ; Contemporary Art from The Taguchi Art Collection, Hakodate Museum of Art, Hokkaido
, Japan

09 BOOM, MO.CO. Panacée, Montpellier, France
06 Globe as a Palette ; Contemporary Art from The Taguchi Art Collection, Obihiro Museum of Art, Hokkaido, Japan
04 Globe as a Palette ; Contemporary Art from The Taguchi Art Collection, Kushiro Art Museum, Hokkaido
, Japan
02 Art Miyagi 2019, The Miyagi Museum of Art, Miyagi, Japan
2018.11 Arawashi No Uta, Hajimari Art Centre, Fukushima, Japan
10 BEYOND WONDER -Perspectives of Utopia, Nagoya University of Arts, Aichi, Japan
04 Contemporary Art of the 21st Century, Hitatsuka Museum of Art, Kanagawa, Japan
02 psmg vol.003 Hiraku Suzuki × contact Gonzo, contact Gonzo Office, Osaka, Japan
01 Collection Exhibition: 3 Adventure in Seeing, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan
2017.12 The Riddle of Art – Takahashi Collection, Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art, Shizuoka, Japan
10 point to line with Abdelkader Benchamma, Agnes b. Ginza, Tokyo, Japan
10 Flap-flop, Clap-clop: A Place Where Words Are Born, Arts Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
04 The Cosmos of the Takahashi Collection, Contemporary Art Museum Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan
04 Road – Ichihara Art × Mix, Art House ASOBARA Valley, Chiba, Japan
03 Sensitivity and Saltation, Pola Museum Annex, Tokyo, Japan
03 SIDE CORE – RO・SEN・ZU, Gallery TRAX, Yamanashi, Japan
2016.09 Yamagata Biennale 2018, Tohoku University of Art and Design, Yamagata, Japan
07 Takahashi Collection, Kanaz Forest of Creation, Fukui, Japan
04 Very Addictive – Re extension of Aesthetics in Daily Life, Yinchuan Museum of Contemporary Art, Yinchuan, China
02 Yebisu International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions 2016, Garden in Movement, Yebisu Garden Place, Tokyo, Japan
2015.12 THINK TANK Lab Triennial/ International Festival of Contemporary Drawing, Museum of Architecture, Wroclaw, Poland
11 5 × 3, Kunstraum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
10 COSMOS/INTIME – LA COLLECTION TAKAHASHI, Maison de la culture du Japon a` Paris, Paris, France
04 TRAITS d’esprit, Galerie du Jour Agnes b., Paris, France
2014.09 The Principle of Hope | Kunisaki Art Festival, Former Kakadi Town Hall , Oita, Japan
06 Vancouver Biennale, Vancouver, Canada
03 DRAWING NOW PARIS, the Carreau du Temple and Espace Commines, Paris, France
2013.09 Nissan Art Award 2013, BankART Studio NYK, Yokohama, Japan
09 Takahashi Collection – Mindfulness!, Kirishima Open-Air Museum, Kagoshima, Japan
07 Takahashi Collection – Mindfulness, Sapporo Art Museum, Hokkaido, Japan
04 DRAWING NOW PARIS, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France
02 Wall Art Festival Warli, Jivan Sikshan Mandir Ganjad, Dahanu, India
2012.09 Son et Lumie`re, et sagesse profonde, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan
07 Panta Rhei (duo exhibition with Takehito Koganezawa), TALION Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
06 SIDE CORE, BA-TSU ART GALLERY, Tokyo, Japan
03 One And Many, Location One, New York, USA
2011.11 Far Away from the Surface (duo exhibition with Takuro Osaka), TALION Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
09 DRAWING – The Act of Making Lines, island MEDIUM, Tokyo, Japan
2010.03 Roppongi Crossing 2010: Can There Be Art?, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
2009.11 Red Bull House of Art, Hotel Central, San Paolo, Brazil
05 Re:Membering – Next of Japan, Gallery LOOP, Seoul, Korea
04 Hundred Stories About Love, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan
03 VOCA – the Vision of Contemporary Art, 2009, The Ueno Royal Museum of Art, Tokyo, Japan
03 Between Site & Space, Artspace Sydney, Sydney, Australia
2008.11 FIX MIX MAX!2: the Frontline of Contemporary Art, Miyanomori International Museum of Art, Sapporo, Japan
10 MIMITOME, Tou Scene, Stavanger, Norway
09 Diorama of the City: Between Site & Space, Tokyo Wonder Site Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
2004.08 Tokyo Style in Stockholm, Karl Johans Torg, Stockholm, Sweden
08 Tokyo Style in Gothenburg, Roda Sten, Gothenburg, Sweden
2002.08 Tokyo Art Jungle, Tokyo International Forum, JR Yamanote Line, Tokyo, Japan
2000.11 World Wide Network Art 2000, Gallery Fleur, Honen-in, Kyoto, Japan

 

Selected Drawing Performances

2021.03 Drawing Orchestra featuring Abdelkader Benchamma, TOKYO CANAL LINKS 2021, TERRADA ART COMPLEX Ⅱ, Tokyo, Japan
2020.09 Recollecting the new lines, YAMAGATA BIENNALE 2020, Tohoku University of Art and Design, Yamagata, Japan
02 Drawing Orchestra, w/ Daijiro Ohara, Naha Kanie, Sohei Nishino, Saori Hara, Mineki Murata, Yang02 and BIEN, The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
2019.12 Performance Session, w/ Akio Suzuki, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Japan
03 Art Miyagi 2019, The Miyagi Museum of Art, Miyagi, Japan
2018.06 From A Tree, w/ Takehito Koganezawa, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan
2017.12 Drawing and Talking, w/ Ryuta Imafuku, Arts Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
11 Drawing Tube vol.3, w/ Abdelkader Benchamma, Tokyo Arts and Space Residency, Tokyo, Japan
09 New Optimism, w/ Miho Hatori, KATA, Tokyo, Japan
09 Sapporo International Art Festival 2017, w/ Gozo Yoshimasu, Sapporo Art Park, Sapporo, Japan
08 Mineki Murata + w, Mineki Murata, Gallery HASHIMOTO, Tokyo, Japan
04 Dairo Suga and Jason Moran in Tokyo and Kyoto, w/ Dairo Suga and Jason Moran, Rohm Theater, Kyoto, Japan
09 Drawing Tube vol.2, w/ Zon Ito, Kyoto University of Arts and Design Gaien Campus, Tokyo, Japan
09 Drawing Tube vol.1, w/ Gozo Yoshimasu, Tohoku University of Art and Design, Yamagata, Japan
08 Drawing Tube vol.0, w/ Kyohei Sakaguchi, shimauma, Tokyo, Japan
06 Improvisation of Sound and Drawing, w/ Miho Hatori, Yuji Katsui, U-zhaan, and Naoyuki Uchida, Shimokitazawa 440, Tokyo, Japan
05 Sings of Faraway, Aomori Contemporary Art Center, Aomori, Japan
2014.10 Yamagata Biennale 2014, w/ Akio Suzuki, Bunshokan, Yamagata, Japan
10 Red Bull Music Academy, w/ Keiji Haino, Super Deluxe, Tokyo, Japan
09 Awazu Kiyoshi, Makurihirogeru (EXPOSE)1 Art Running Wild: Awazu Kiyoshi and Performance, w/ Dairo Suga, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan
06 Vancouver Biennale, w/ Ross Birdwise, Soressa Gardner and Joe Rzemieniak, Coal Harbour Community Centre, Vancouver, Canada
03 COVERED TOKYO, w/ Dairo Suga, PARK HOTEL, Tokyo, Japan
2013.02 Wall Art Festival in Warli, Jivan Sikshan Mandir Ganjad, Dahanu, India
01 son et lumie`re, et, w/ Takashi Ueno, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan
2012.07 XXX, w/ Takashi Ueno, Super Deluxe, Tokyo, Japan
06 HORS PISTES, w/ Toshio Kajiwara, Yoko Higashino, Kosuke Kawamura and Rokapenis, UPLINK, Tokyo, Japan
05 PULSE, w/ Kitchen Orchestra and Tetsuya Nagato, Super Deluxe, Tokyo, Japan
03 Opalnest presents Editquette, w/ Loren Connors and Julien Langendorff, Printed Matter, New York, USA
2011.12 Hiraku Suzuki Live Drawing, w/ Raz Mesinai, Location One, New York, USA
08 Glyphs of the Light, WIMBLEDON theatre, London, UK
05 Mai Jazz Festival, w/ Kitchen Orchestra and Tetsuya Nagato, TOU SCENE, Stavanger, Norway
2010.12 U, island MEDIUM, Tokyo, Japan
06 Agnes b. 2010 Spring Summer Collection, Agnes b. CMC, Paris, France
03 Roppongi Art Night, w/ Shing02, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
02 Hoshi No Kozuchi De Kotsun, w/ Toshio Kajiwara, Super Deluxe, Tokyo, Japan
2009.07 Hundred Stories About Love, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan
05 Hundred Stories About Love, w/ Shing02, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan
04 Hundred Stories About Love, recording w/ Takashi Ueno, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan
2008.10 MIMITOME, w/ Keiji Haino, Masaya Nakahara, Pikachu, Yasunori Ikunishi and Tetsuya Nagato, TOU SCENE, Stavanger, Norway
08 FLAT SESSION, w/ Kenji Nakamura GROUP, Super Deluxe, Tokyo, Japan
08 Matar O No Matar, w/ BABY-Q, Super Deluxe, Tokyo, Japan
04 INSIDE/OUTSIDE, w/ Shing02, JUNZO and Atsuhiro Ito, UPLINK FACTORY, Tokyo, Japan
02 Salon Tengoku vol.6, w/ Ken Takehisa, Super Deluxe, Tokyo, Japan
2007.05 Mud and Words, w/Shuren the fire, Fitscore, Sapporo, Japan
02 w/ Kemumaki Yoko and Atsuhiro Ito, UPLINK FACTORY, Tokyo, Japan
02 Kuala Mute Geek vol.09, w/ Christophe Charles, andZONE, Tokyo, Japan
2006.09 Sound Channel, w/ EYE, Toshio Kajiwara and MOOCHY, Osaka, Japan
07 cooking 2, w/L?K?O, GRID605, Tokyo, Japan
08 dig, Galerie du Jour Agnes b., Paris, France
07 cooking 1, w/Takashi Ueno, GRID605, Tokyo, Japan
2005.12 Media Park Spica, Sapporo, Japan
11 w/ Fuyuki Yamakawa and KUJUN, UPLINK FACTORY, Tokyo, Japan
10 Agnes b. show, Takanawa Prince Hotel Kihinkan, Tokyo, Japan
09 Kosmic Renaissance Japan Tour, w/ Kosmic Renaissance and Naohiro Ukawa, Liquidroom, Tokyo, Japan
04 EXPO 2005 AICHI JAPAN, Nagoya, Japan
2004.12 NAZO NIGHT vol.4, w/ Tenniscoats, UPLINK Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
12 NAZO NIGHT vol.3, w/ Yasunori Ikunishi, UPLINK Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
12 NAZO NIGHT vol.2, w/ SEIN, UPLINK Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
12 NAZO NIGHT vol.1, w/ Shing02 and DJ A-1, UPLINK Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
10 w/ Tenniscoats, Spaon, Sapporo, Japan
08 Tokyo Style in Stockholm, w/ Shing02 and Hiroaki Umeda, Kulturhuset, Stockholm, Sweden
01 Son of Loud, w/ Mai Fujinoya and the Gamelan Orchestra, Super Deluxe, Tokyo, Japan
2003.11 w/ Shing02, Liquidroom, Tokyo, Japan
08 Ten no Koe Chi no Matsuri, Sapporo Gokoku Shrine, Sapporo, Japan
07 w/Shuren the fire, BAR S-II, Sapporo, Japan
07 Asahi Art Festival 2003, w/ Kazufumi Kodama, Asahi Superdry Hall, Tokyo, Japan
04 MIND BOGGLER, w/ Yasunori Ikunishi and Takashi Ueno, Super Deluxe, Tokyo, Japan
02 Tokyu Deconstruction, w/Yasunori Ikunishi, Organ Bar, Tokyo, Japan
2002.04 GADABOUT, w/Shing02, MILK, Tokyo, Japan
2000.11 World Wide Network Art, Hounen-In Temple, Kyoto, Japan
08 bacteria sign, w/nibo and Chikara Iwai, Tsutsujinosato Public Park, Tokyo, Japan

 

Publications

2020 SILVER MARKER—Drawing as Excavating, (Tokyo: HeHe, January 2020)
2017 Drawing Tube vol.01 Archive/ Hiraku Suzuki Drawing Performance, Guest: Gozo Yoshimasu, (Tokyo: Drawing Tube, July 2017)
2015 Hiraku Suzuki, Signs of Faraway | Langue and Space Vol.1, (Aomori: Aomori Contemporary Art Center, December 2015)
2010 Looking For Minerals, (Tokyo: BEAMS, Dec. 2010)
GENGA, (Tokyo: Kawade Shobo Shinsha/ Agnes b., February 2010)
2008 TEAM 11 Hiraku Suzuki, (Tokyo: Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture Tokyo Wondersite, March 2008)

 

Commissions

2022.11 Towada City Community Plaza, Towada, Japan
2021.08 Agnes b. x Hiraku Suzuki “SIGNES SAUVAGE”, collaboration with Agnes b.
2020.12 Galeria Midobaru, Oita, Japan
12 Shiroiya Hotel, Gumma, Japan
11 RICOH 3L, Tokyo, Japan
2017.01 Do Dots Dream of Lines, public art at the underground walkway, Oita, Japan
2016.12 ART WALL, JINS Sannomiya, Kobe, Japan
09 Point to Line, Agnes b. Ginza, Rue du jour, Tokyo, Japan
2015.10 HIRAKU SUZUKI pour Agnes b.2015, collaboration with Agnes b.
01 COMME des GARÇONS HOMME PLUS, collaboration with Rei Kawakubo
2014.05 COMME des GARÇONS HOMME PLUS, collaboration with Rei Kawakubo
2013.12 ZOZO Base, Chiba, Japan
01 COMME des GARÇONS SHIRT, collaboration with Rei Kawakubo
2012.05 ART FAÇADE PROJECT Vol.5, Agnes b. Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan
2011.11 COMME des GARÇONS Aoyama, Kyoto, London, Hong Kong, Seoul and Beijing, collaboration with Rei Kawakubo and interior work
2010.12 COMME des GARÇONS Beijing, collaboration with Rei Kawakubo and interior work
06 Agnes b. HOMME Paris Collection, live drawing and wall drawing of the head office
2009.09 HIRAKU SUZUKI pour Agnes b.2009, collaboration with Agnes b.
2008.10 HIRAKU SUZUKI pour Agnes b.2008, collaboration with Agnes b.
10 ART FAÇADE PROJECT, Agnes b. voyage Omotesando, Tokyo, Japan

 

Public Collections

21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
Agnes b. Collection, Paris, France
Arts Maebashi, Gumma, Japan
Fondation INK, Geneva, Switzerland
Ichihara Lakeside Museum, Chiba, Japan
Maezawa Yusaku Collection, Chiba, Japan
Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Museum of Modern Art Gunma, Gunma, Japan
Nissan Art Collection, Kanagawa, Japan
City of Oita, Oita, Japan
Ricoh Company, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
Taguchi Art Collection, Tokyo, Japan
Takahashi Ryutato Collection, Tokyo, Japan
Towada Art Center, Aomori, Japan
University of the Arts London, London, UK