Artists Represented - Taiga Chiba

Since I was a child, I have been interested in encountering something unknown. Looking for a large red crawfish in a clear water stream running in front of our house was the fascination in my early childhood.

After graduation from Musashino Art University in Tokyo, Japan, I started a period of "One Thousand Days" of art creation. I also gave myself a task of studying conversational Spanish, English and French Studies everyday with text books and cassette tapes for the same period of time, in order to travel around the globe and eventually live somewhere in a foreign land as an artist. About two hundred and fifty days later, I discovered my way of searching the unknown it was an unpremeditated one-line drawing, which took me on a journey to develop my own way of drawing and painting.

In 1981, I immigrated to Canada. I went to English School for nine months in Toronto, then French School for seven months in Montreal. In the meantime thinking in Japanese, my mother tongue, slowed down. Getting to learn new languages and their cultures took a long time and I am still learning 20 years later. As most immigrants feel that they don't have the comprehensive language knowledge in either language in comparison to the same age group of people in both societies, I feel I am about ten years behind in a brain development in both languages. However, I can communicate in three languages, and I have used these gained skills and experiences when I was in an artist in residence in a foreign country: Thailand (2002), India (1997), Brazil (1995), and Mexico (1992).

I want to continue pursuing an artist in residence program in a foreign land. I am planning to work in a studio "Tailler De Rufino Tamayo" in Oaxaca, Southern Mexico in January and February 2003.

The large Japanese Calligraphic Brush has been my favorite tool to paint on rice paper since a Japanese Master Calligrapher gave it to me in 1977. One day last summer, I found an intriguing shape on a paper towel in my studio. It was under the rice paper I was painting on as a blotter. The image transferred through the thin rice paper. I started to practice this method and the results were similar to paleontological images of the fossils of ancient life in the Cambrian Sea.

I would like to continue this method by putting the works on wood: panels together side by side like a traditional Japanese scroll painting. I am interested in a creating an environment of ancient life as seen in The Burgess Shale in field, B.C.

For further information, please contact:

Canada: tel: (1) 604.688.2633, fax: (1) 604.688.2685

Education
1982-86	Master of Fine Arts, Concordia University, Studio Arts Program, Quebec, Canada
1970-74	Bachelor of Arts, Musashino Art University, Plastic Arts Program, Tokyo, Japan
1968-70	Atelier Furan Art School. Major in Drawing and Colour Composition, Tokyo, Japan
Solo and Two Person Exhibitions
2022	"Dreamland Cafe", Art Beatus (Vancouver) Consultancy Ltd., Vancouver, Canada
2018	"Entr'acte", Art Beaturs (Vancouver) Consultancy Ltd., Vancouver, Canada
2015	"The Life in Bhubaneswar", Art Beatus (Vancouver) Consultancy Ltd., Vancouver, Canada
2014	"Gods Bulls and Dogs", Lalit Kala Akademi Gallery, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
2013	"The Retrospective Show", The Edge Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2012	"Universos Reciprocos", collaboration monotypes with 9 artists, La Casa Azul, Real Del Monte, Hidalgo, Mexico
2011	"Arctic Experiences", National Nikkei Museum & Hertiage Centre, Burnaby, BC, Canada
	"River of Spirit", Art Beatus (Vancouver) Consultancy Ltd., Vancouver, Canada
2008	"Familiar Ancestors", Britannia Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2007	"Weathering...with Barb Snyder", Dundarave Print Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2006	"Plants, Creatures and Other Animals with Miuh Yang", Art Beatus (Vancouver) Consultancy Ltd., Vancouver, Canada
	"Return", Two-Person Show, Malaspina Printmakers Society Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
	"Made In India", with Tomoyo Ihaya, Dundarave Print Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2005	"Duet", Monotype Works Collaboration with Eunjin Kim, Dundarave Print Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2004	"Dry Cold, Humid Hot, Windy Rainy", Dundarave Print Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2003	"Existence", Art Beatus, Vancouver, Canada
2002	"Ancestors", sumi-e paintings, Kitchen Gallery, Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, Canada
2000	"Water Cosmology", Snap Gallery, Edmonton, Canada
	Two Person Show with Tomoyo Ihaya, Gallery Haoto, Shizuoka, Japan
1997	"Monotypes in Bharat Bhavan", ABN-AMRO Bank and Sarala's Art Center, Madras, India
1995	"Baffin Island to Brazil", Paintings, Prints & Collage, Seymour Art Gallery, North Vancouver, Canada
	Yuba Series - Paintings, Yuba Art Studio, Sao Paulo, Brazil
1994	Recent Prints, Paintings & Drawings, Queen Elizabeth Theatre Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
	"Fox Shrine", Recent Prints, Grunt Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
	"Yume", Recent Paintings & Drawings, Vancouver East Cultural Centre, Vancouver, Canada
1993	"Yago", Enamel Paintings, Dr. Vigari Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
1992	"La Vida Talavera", Watercolour Paintings, Richmond Art Gallery, Richmond, Canada
1991	Recent Prints, Dundarave Print Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
	Sumi-e Paintings and Prints, Gateway Theatre Gallery, Richmond, Canada
1990	Recent Prints, Dundarave Print Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
1985	Shintoh Festival, Installation, Bourget Gallery, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec
1984	Recent Paintings and Prints, Bourget Gallery, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec
International Juried Group Exhibitions
2012	The 3rd Bangkok Triennial International Print and Drawing Exhibition, Thailand
2006	7^th Bharat Bhavan International Biennial of Print-Art, Bhopal, India
2003	International Print Trienial 2003, Krakow, Poland
	International Print & Drawing Exhibition, Silpakorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
2001	Biennale International d’Estampe Contemporaine de Trois Rivieres, la Maison de la Culture de Trois Riveres, La Galerie d’art du Parc Quebec, Canada
	Pacific Rim International Print Exhibition, Campus Center Gallery, Hilo and Maui Arts and Cultural Center, Kahului, Hawaii, USA
2000	Intergrafia, World Award Winners Gallery, Katowice, Poland
	International Print Triennial 2000, Kracow, Poland
	5^th Sapporo International Print Biennale, Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, Sapporo, Japan
	9^th International Biennial Print & Drawing Exhibition: R.O.C., Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
1999	International Print Biennial Varna ’99, Art Gallery of Varna, Bulgaria
	12^th German International Exhibition of Graphic Art, Stadtsaal, Frechen, Germany
	23^rd International Biennial of Graphic Art, Museum of Modern Art International Centre of Graphic Art, Jakopic Gallery, Tivoli Gallery, Ljubljana, Slovenia
	4^th Kochi International Triennial Exhibition of Prints, Ino Cho Paper Museum, Kochi, Japan
	Pacific Rim International Print Exhibition, Campus Centre Gallery, Hilo, Hawaii
1998	5^th Biennial of Graphic Art Beograd ’98, The Cvijeta Zuzoric Art Pavillion, Beograd, Yugoslavia
	11^th Tallinn Print Triennial, Tallinn, Estonia
	4^th Sapporo International Print Biennale, Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, Sapporo, Japan
1997	2^nd International Triennial of Graphic Art, Bitola ’97, Republic of Macedonia
	4^th Bharat Bhavan International Biennial of Prints, Bhopal, India
	International Print Triennial ’97, Kracow, Poland
1996	10^th Seoul International Print Biennale ’96, Korea
	11. Deutsche Internationale Grafik Triennale 1996, Stadtsaal, Frechen, Germany
1995	1^st Tokyo International Mini-Print Triennial, Tama Art University Museum, Tokyo, Japan
	1^st International Triennial of Graphic Arts, Gallery of the Union of Bulgarian Artists, Shipka 6, Sophia, Bulgaria
	Pacific Rim International Print Exhibition, Campus Centre Gallery, Hilo, Hawaii, USA
1994	9^th Seoul International Print Biennale, I1 Min Cultural Centre, Seoul, Korea
	International Print Triennial, Krakow ’94, Galeria BWA, Krakow, Poland
1993	6^th International Biennial Print & Drawing Exhibit, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
	2^nd Sapporo International Print Biennale, Event Hall, Marui Imai, Inc., Sapporo, Japan
1991	5^th International Biennial Print Exhibit, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
	4^th Biennial Exhibition of prints in Wakayama, Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama, Japan
Selected Group Exhibitions
2017	"The Big Print Jazz Project", Fundraising Art Auction, Performance Works, Vancouver, Canada
2016	"The Winter Show", Art Beatus (Vancouver) Consultancy Ltd., Vancouver, Canada
2015	"30 Years", Seymour Art Gallery, North Vancouver, Canada
	"ARTsySTEM: The Changing Climates of the Arts and Sciences", Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
	"Colours and Forms", Art Beatus (Vancouver) Consultancy Ltd., Vancouver, Canada
2009	"A Common Surface", Ferry Building Gallery, West Vancouver, Canada
	"Drawn Together", In Conjunction with Drawn Festival, Art Beatus (Vancouver) Consultancy Ltd., Vancouver, Canada
2008	"Across", Asian Heritage Month Show, Dundarave Print Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2007	"Contemporary Curiosities", Kamloops Art Gallery, Kamloops, Canada
2006-07	"Buddha Enlightened 2006-2007", Bodh Gaya, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, India
2004	"Tis The Season", Four-Person Show, Art Beatus (Vancouver) Consultancy Ltd., Vancouver, Canada
2003	Toronto International Art Fair 2003, Toronto, Canada
	The Great Canadian Printmaking Competition, Edward Day Gallery, Toronto, Canada
	"Celebrating 20 years of Printmaking", Capilano College Art Institute, Gallery at Ceperley House, Burnaby, Canada
	Art Chicago 2003, Chicago, USA
2002	"From the Archives: 20 Years of SNAP Shop Prints", Curated by Karen Dugas, SNAP Gallery, Edmonton, Canada
	"Recollection Reconnection", Art Beatus (Vancouver) Consultancy Ltd., Vancouver, Canada
2001	"First Folio", Capilano College Art Gallery, North Vancouver, Canada
	"Collected Works", Art Beatus (Vancouver) Consultancy Ltd., Vancouver, Canada
1994	Public Art & Art About Public Issues, Installation, Artropolis ’93, Vancouver, Canada
1992	"Kaleidoscope", Six-Person Exhibition, Richmond Art Gallery, Richmond, Canada
1991	Medicine Hat Print Show, Medicine Hat Museum and Art Gallery, Alberta, Canada
1990	Monotypes, Patrick Doheny Fine Art, Vancouver, Canada
1987	Twelve Nikkei Artists, Robson Square Media Centre, Vancouver, Canada
1985	Tous l’ art du Monde 1985, La Galerie UQAM, Montreal, Canada
1984	"Graphex 9", Art Gallery of Brant, Brantford, Canada
1982	"The Garden", Installation, Bourget Gallery, Montreal, Canada
Awards and Grants
2005	British Columbia Arts Council Project Assistance for Visual Artists Program ($5000)
	Travel Grant, The Canada Council
	Travel Grant, The Canada Council
2003	Ampornpisit Award, International print and Drawing Exhibition, Silpakorn University, Thailand
	Second Prize, The Great Canadian Print Competition, Toronto, Canada
2002	Projects Visual Arts Grant and Purchase Prize, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
	Travel Grant, The Canada Council
2000	Travel Grant, The Canada Council
1999	Purchase Awards, Pacific Rim International Print Exhibition, Hilo, Hawaii
1998	Shirley Eastcott Memorial Scholarship, Capilano College Art Institute, North Vancouver, BC
	Sponsor's Prize, The 4th Sappporo International Print Biennale, Sapporo, Japan
1997	Purchase Awards, Pacific Rim International Print Exhibition, Hilo, Hawaii
1995	Art Museum Award, the 1st Tokyo International Mini-Print Triennale, Tokyo, Japan
	Purchase Awards, Pacific Rim International Print Exhibition, Hilo, Hawaii
Research Travel and Artist in Residence
2020	Painter's Studio, Hanoi, Vietnam
2019-20	Alin Dagar Art School, Mandalay, Myanmar
2018-19	Lalit Kala Akademi Graphic and Painting Studios, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
2017-18	Lago de Atitlan, Guatemala and Oaxaca, Mexico
2014	Bay Watch Residency, Puri Odisha, India. Traveling to Bangladesh and Yunnan in China.
2013-14	Lalit Kala Akademi Graphic Studio, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
2012	Simbiosis/Symbiosis 2012, FRONDA, Hidalgo, Mexico
2012	Dreamland Art Studio, Mandalay, Myanmar
2010	Calanoa Amazonas, Leticia, Colombia
2010	Uqqurmiut Centre for Arts and Crafts, Pangnirtung, Nunavut, Canada
2009	La Ceiba Grafica, Ex-Hacienda de Orduña, Coatepec, Mexico
2007	Chiang Mai University Printmaking Studio, Chiang Mai, Thailand
2006	"Buddha Enlightened 2006", An International Art Project - Bodh Gaya, Bihar, India
2005	Bharat Bhavan Art Complex, Bhopal, India
2004	St. Michael's Print Shop, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
2003	Utah State University Printmaking Studio, Logan, Utah, USA
2002	Silpakorn University Printmaking Studio, Bangkok, Thailand
1997	Bharat Bhavan Graphic Studio, Bhopal, India
1997, 96	Baker Lake Print Studio, Baker Lake Nunavut, Canada
1995	Yuba Art Studio, Sao Paulo, Brazil
1995	Nunavut Arctic College Nunatta Campus Printmaking Studio, Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
1992	Talavera Painting Studio, San Cristobal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico
Collections FRONDA Contemporary Art, Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico Kamloops Art Gallery, Kamloops, Canada Marie Eccles Caine Art Museum, Utah State University, USA Ernst & Young Collection, Toronto, Canada Krakow International Print Triennial, Poland University of Alberta Print Library, Edmonton, Canada Silpakorn University, Bangkok, Thailand Alberta Foundation for the Arts, Edmonton, Canada Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, Canada J.R. Hokkaido Railway Company, Sapporo, Japan State of Hawaii, Art in Public Places Relocatable Works Collection Seymour Art Gallery, North Vancouver, Canada Tama Art University Museum, Tokyo, Japan Canada Council Art Bank Richmond Art Gallery, Canada Communautes Culturelles et de l'Immigration du Quebec, Canada Private Collections in Canada, USA, Brazil and Japan
Artist Statement Since I was a child, I have been interested in encountering something unknown. Looking for a large red crawfish in a clear water stream running in front of our house was the fascination in my early childhood. After graduation from Musashino Art University in Tokyo, Japan, I started a period of "One Thousand Days" of art creation. I also gave myself a task of studying conversational Spanish, English and French Studies everyday with text books and cassette tapes for the same period of time, in order to travel around the globe and eventually live somewhere in a foreign land as an artist. About two hundred and fifty days later, I discovered my way of searching the unknown it was an unpremeditated one-line drawing, which took me on a journey to develop my own way of drawing and painting. In 1981, I immigrated to Canada. I went to English School for nine months in Toronto, then French School for seven months in Montreal. In the meantime thinking in Japanese, my mother tongue, slowed down. Getting to learn new languages and their cultures took a long time and I am still learning 20 years later. As most immigrants feel that they don't have the comprehensive language knowledge in either language in comparison to the same age group of people in both societies, I feel I am about ten years behind in a brain development in both languages. However, I can communicate in three languages, and I have used these gained skills and experiences when I was in an artist in residence in a foreign country: Thailand (2002), India (1997), Brazil (1995), and Mexico (1992). I want to continue pursuing an artist in residence program in a foreign land. I am planning to work in a studio "Tailler De Rufino Tamayo" in Oaxaca, Southern Mexico in January and February 2003. The large Japanese Calligraphic Brush has been my favorite tool to paint on rice paper since a Japanese Master Calligrapher gave it to me in 1977. One day last summer, I found an intriguing shape on a paper towel in my studio. It was under the rice paper I was painting on as a blotter. The image transferred through the thin rice paper. I started to practice this method and the results were similar to paleontological images of the fossils of ancient life in the Cambrian Sea. I would like to continue this method by putting the works on wood: panels together side by side like a traditional Japanese scroll painting. I am interested in a creating an environment of ancient life as seen in The Burgess Shale in field, B.C. Taiga Chiba, 2002 For further information, please contact: Canada: tel: (1) 604.688.2633, fax: (1) 604.688.2685