Hiroshi Senju is a Japanese-born, New York-based painter. He is noted worldwide for his sublime waterfall and cliff images, which are often monumental in scale. He combines a minimalist visual language rooted in Abstract Expressionism with ancient painting techniques unique to Japan.
He is a member of the Japan Art Academy. He was president of Kyoto University of Art & Design from 2007 to 2013, presently professor of Kyoto University Art & Design, ambassador of Tokyo National Museum, board member of Ikenobo Bunka Geijutsu Foundation, advisor of The Ritsumeikan Trust, director of Koyodo Museum, member of Masters Committee of L'ÉCOLE of Van Cleef & Arpels, and advisor of The Tokugawa Museum.
1958
Born in Tokyo, Japan
1982
BFA, Tokyo University of the Arts
1984
MFA, The Graduate School of Tokyo University of the Arts
Graduation work purchased by Tokyo University of the Arts
1987
Completed coursework of the doctoral program at Tokyo University of the Arts
Graduation work purchased by The University of Tokyo
100th Anniversary Exhibition of Tokyo University of the Arts, group exhibition, Nihonbashi Takashimaya, Tokyo, Japan
1989
The End of Dream, solo exhibition, Manly Art Gallery & Museum, Sydney, Australia
1990
History of Japanese-Style Painting, group exhibition, The Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura & Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
1993
Selected on the cover of Art Now Gallery Guide – New York, USA
Flatwater, solo exhibition, Maxwell Davidson Gallery, New York, USA
1994
Hiroshi Senju: 1980-1994, solo exhibition, Takamura Museum, Yamanashi, Japan
Received 4th Kenbuchi Picture Book Award for Picturebook When Stardust Falls....., Japan
Received Excellence Award, 7th MOA Mokichi Okada Award, Japan
1995
Hiroshi Senju, solo exhibition, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
Received Honorable Mention at 46th La Biennale di Venezia, Italy
1996
Hiroshi Senju – Waterfalls & Glasses, solo exhibition, The Hakone Open-Air Museum, Kanagawa, Japan
1998
Received Konju-hosho (Dark Blue Ribbon Medal) for Hachigatsu no Sora to Kumo (August Sky and Clouds) which is collected by Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Japan
2000
100 Years of Nihonga, The University Art Museum, group exhibition, Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, Japan
Received Michiaki Kawakita Award for Life exhibited in Ryoyonome Exhibition: Painting in the 21st Century, Japan
2002
The New Way of Tea, group exhibition, Japan Society and Asia Society, New York, U.S.A.
Received Grand Prize, 13th MOA Mokichi Okada Award, Japan
The Scent and Shape of Ink, group exhibition, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, Republic of Korea
2003
Paintings on Fusuma at the Jukoin of Daitokuji Temple, group exhibition, Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo, Japan
Kaiga no Genzai, group exhibition, Bandaijima City Museum, Niigata, Japan
The essence of Contemporary Nihonga, group exhibition, Contemporary Art Museum Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan
Contemporary Japanese Painting, group exhibition, Okazaki Mindscape Museum, Aichi, Japan
Mural for the foyer of Grand Hyatt Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
2004
Work acquired by Jukoin Annex of Daitokuji Temple, Shizuoka, Japan
Art Direction for Haneda Airport (Tokyo International Airport) Domestic Terminal 2, Tokyo, Japan
2005
Lexus L-Finesse, Milano Salone, Milan, Italy
Hiroshi Senju -77 Panels of fusuma-e for Jukoin Annex of Daitokuji Temple, solo exhibition, Fukuoka Asian Museum, Fukuoka, Japan
2006
The 6th Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
Designed dial face of a watch, Reverso, Jaeger-LeCoultre, 75th-anniversary special limited edition
Naoshima Standard 2, Benesse Art Site, Kagawa, Japan
Hiroshi Senju, solo exhibition, Yamatane Museum of Art, Tokyo, Japan
2007
Masterpiece Collection of Yamatane Museum of Art, group exhibition, The Museum of Modern Art, Toyama, Toyama, Japan
Paintings on fusuma at Shofuso, Pennsylvania, USA
Hyakubashira wo Tateru, Kusokuzeshiki, Senju Hiroshi, Matsumoto City Museum of Art, Nagano, Japan
Harukanaru Aoi Hikari, solo exhibition, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York, USA
2008
Still /Motion: Liquid Crystal Painting, group exhibition, Mie Prefectural Art Museum, Mie, Japan; traveling to The National Museum of Art, Osaka, Osaka, Japan; and Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Tokyo, Japan
Ceramic Board Mural, Akasaka Biz Tower (TBS), Tokyo, Japan
Ceramic Board Mural, Tokyo Metro Fukutoshin Line, Shinjuku-Sanchome Station, Tokyo, Japan
2009
Art House project Ishibashi, Benesse Art Site, Kagawa, Japan
New Light from a Far, solo exhibition, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, Los Angels, USA
Out of Nature: Cliffs and Falling Water, solo exhibition, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, Hong Kong, China
2010
The Invitations to 20th Century Art, group exhibition, The Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu, Gifu, Japan
Masterpiece Collection of Saku Municipal Museum of Modern Art, group exhibition, Takasaki Tower Museum of Art, Gunma, Japan
Hiroshi Senju: World of Blue – Echoes of Kaii Higashiyama, Higashiyama Kaii Setouchi Museum, Kagawa, Japan
Setouchi Triennale, Kagawa, Japan
Art Direction for APEC Japan 2010, Yokohama, Japan
Art Direction for Haneda Airport (Tokyo International Airport) International Passenger Terminal and expanded Domestic Terminal 2, Tokyo, Japan
2011
Art Direction for the new building of Japan Railways Hakata Station
Hiroshi Senju Museum Karuizawa Opened
Water, Fire, and Earth. The Source of Creativity, group exhibition, Contemporary Art Museum Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan
The 5th Chengdu Biennale, Chengdu, China
Vision of Nature, Lost and Found, in Asian Contemporary Art, group exhibition, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong
Art Direction for Gucci 90th anniversary archive exhibition at Kinkakuji Temple, Kyoto, Japan
2012
Cliffs, solo exhibition, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York, USA
Mural for OUB Centre, Singapore
Stage Design for The Japanese Classical Dance with Orchestra, Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, Tokyo, Japan
2013
Work acquired by Jukoin of Daitokuji Temple, Kyoto, Japan
Stage Design for Opera KAMIKAZE, Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, Tokyo, Japan
Mural for Ekoin Temple, Tokyo, Japan
Art Direction for Sazaedo building, Taisho University, Tokyo, Japan
Art Direction for Message Cherry Blossoms project, KITTE Marunouchi, Tokyo, Japan
Day Falls/Night Falls, solo exhibition, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, Hong Kong
The Tale of Genji – the Skies of Heian Period, solo exhibition, Sagawa Art Museum, Shiga, Japan
Setouchi Triennale, Kagawa, Japan
Stage Design for “Jyusuke Hanayagi and Tamasaburo Bando” Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, Tokyo, Japan
2014
Stage Design for opera YUZURU, performed at various cities in Japan
2015
Day Falls/Night Falls, solo exhibition, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, Singapore
Ceramic Tile Mural for Public Bath at JR Onagawa Station, Miyagi, Japan
Frontiers Reimagined at 56th La Biennale di Venezia, Venice, Italy
Public art project commissioned by Southern Branch of The National Palace Museum, Taiwan
2016
Paintings on Fusuma dedicated for Juko-in in Daitokuji temple was open to the public along with Fusuma painted by Eitoku Kano, Kyoto, Japan
Mizu to Hikari no Genso (Illusions in Water and Light), Toindo in Yakushiji temple, Nara, Japan
Yakushiji special exhibition: Shikisai Jiku wo Koete (Transcending colors), Toindo in Yakushiji temple, Nara, Japan
Received Foreign Minister's Commendation for FY 2016 by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
2017
At World's End, solo exhibition, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York
Received the fourth Isamu Noguchi Award
2018
Received Award for Excellence in Art, Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia, USA.
Released Octo Finissimo Hiroshi Senju from BVLGARI
Following its staging at Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art & Design, Hiroshi Senju Commemorating the Completion of Fusuma Paintings for Kongobuji Temple, Koyasan, solo tour exhibition, Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art & design, Toyama, Japan, Tsuruoka Art Forum, Yamagata, Japan, jointly held at Akita Senshu Museum of Art, and Akita Museum of Art, Akita, Japan
Hiroshi Senju & teamLab Collaborative Exhibition: Waterness, Dojima River Forum, Osaka, Japan
Received Eagle on the World Award, JCCI, USA
2019
Hiroshi Senju 40 years of painting: Sogon & Kakucho, 21st century Japanese painting, Nihonnbashi Mitsukoshi Honten, Tokyo, Japan
Hiroshi Senju Commemorating the Completion of Fusuma Paintings for Kongobuji Temple, Koyasan, solo tour exhibition, Sogo Museum of Art, Kanagawa, Japan, Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art, Riverwalk Gallery, Fukuoka, Japan, Jointly held at Kobe Fashion Museum, and Kobe Artist Museum, Hyogo, Japan, Ehime Prefectural Museum of Art, Ehime, Japan
2020
Beginnings, solo exhibition, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York
Work acquired by Kongobuji Temple, Koyasan, Japan
2021
Received the 77th Imperial Prize and the Japan Art Academy Prize in 2020 for Waterfalls (fusuma paintings for Kongobuji Temple, Koyasan).
Work acquired by Yakushi-ji Temple, selected as one of the Treasures of the Heisei Era for the Grand Repair of the National Treasure East Pagoda, Nara, Japan
Received the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon
Three Waterfall works dedicated to Izumo Taisha, Shimane, Japan
Senju’s Waterfall for Chicago, solo exhibition, The Art Institute of Chicago, USA
Spectrum, solo exhibition, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York
2022
Elected as a member of the Japan Art Academy
Received The Fourth Kaneko Award Special Prize (The America-Japan Society)
2023
There is still a Light, solo exhibition, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, London
The 350th anniversary of the foundation of Mitsukoshi Hiroshi Senju -Tradition and Innovation- solo exhibition, Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store, Tokyo
2024
Between Movement and Stillness, solo exhibition, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, Singapore
60th Anniversary Antique Dealers' Fair & Exhibition in Tokyo