Born in 1980, Saitama, Japan, Taku Obata sculpts the exaggeration of movement and detail, between symmetry and visual hyperbole. The artist choreographs: contortion of the bodies, in balance and tension, he highlights the technicality of the gesture, as sculptor as well as a dancer. Taku Obata’s work in recent years has focused on the use of new technologies and in particular 3D creation: “Buttai” 2018, an abstract realization on gravity created in 3D motion exhibited at the Watari Museum. This “modernity” is also visible in the presentation of his work: see “B Boy Down Jacket-Naname” 2017, a sculpture scanned and then exhibited on the IJC online museum created by ANA. Recently he also exhibited in Kyoto, two works sculpted entirely at a distance by 3D motion.

Curriculum Vitae
Education
  • 2008

    MFA sculpture, Tokyo University of the Arts, Japan

Solo Exhibitions
  • 2022

    Taku Obata, Gucci Apartment, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2022

    “Art and Sneakers”, A+S, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2022

    “Move the Volume”,Nanzuka / 3110NZ by LDH kitchen, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2022

    “B-Boy Revenge 2022”, Parcel, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2020

    “Let’s move it”, Parcel, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2020

    “Opposite Effects”, Akio Nagasawa, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2020

    “Taku Obata Sculpture”, Japan House London, London, United Kingdom

  • 2020

    “Taku Obata Drawing Exhibition”, White Conduit Projects, London, United Kingdom

  • 2020

    “Bboy Jiki”, Bomma galerie, Paris, France

  • 2016

    “ノリトグラフ | Nolithograph”, Gallery Kido Press, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2016

    “彫刻 // 新時代シリーズ 2 vol.3 小畑多丘展 (sculpture // New Generation series2 Vol3 Taku Obata Exhibition)”, Nihonbashi Takashimaya GalleryX, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2014

    “Bust a Move”, Jonathan LeVine Gallery, New York, United States

  • 2012

    “Taku Obata B-BOY on Sky Court”, Nakamura Keith Haring Museum, Yamanashi, Japan

  • 2011

    “Taku Obata BBOYIZM”, Ginza Mitsukoshi 8F Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2009

    “It’s just begun”, Tokyo Wondersite Hongo, Tokyo, Japan

Group Exhibitions
  • 2023

    “Kuroobianaconda 05 Sukiyaki”, AishoNanzuka, Central, Hong Kong

  • 2022

    “Spectrums“, Jess Johnson, Oliver Payne & Taku Obata, AishoNanzuka, Central, Hong Kong

  • 2022

    “For TZ” ,Nanzuka Underground,Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2021

    “6 Paintings by 6 Artists”, Parcel, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2021

    “03 Sanmaioroshi / Kuroobianaconda”, Tezukayama Gallery, Osaka, Japan

  • 2020

    “02 Wagiri / Kuroobianaconda”, the 5th Floor, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2020

    “The Dividing Line“, (Virtual exhibition), Fluorescent Smogg, London, United Kingdom

  • 2020

    “Fine Line”, Stolenspace gallery, London, United Kingdom

  • 2019

    “Connections”, Over The Influence, Hong Kong, China

  • 2019

    “01 Kirimi / Kuroobianaconda”, Ginza 6, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2018

    “Pn—Powers of PLAY—“, Tokyo University of the Arts, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2018

    “Hyper Landscape 超えていく風景”, Watarium, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2017

    “Side Core 路 – 線 – 図”, Gallery Trax, Yamanashi, Japan

  • 2016

    New Vision Saitama 5: “The Emerging Body”, The Museum of Modern Art Saitama, Saitama, Japan

  • 2015

    “Side Core -Tokyo Walkman”, Hiromiyoshii Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2014

    Art Fair Tokyo: “SIDE CORE”, Tokyo International forum, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2013

    Singapore Art Week: “Tokyo Street”, Ikkan Art Gallery with Crear Editon and Gallery, Singapore

  • 2013

    10 years of the Red Bull bc one with bboy arts festival, Seoul, Korea, Seoul, Korea

Publishing
  • 2019

    “Bboy Jiki”, Limoges porcelain, Bomma, France

Works
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Takuspe B-Boy, acrylic on camphor, 175 × 220 × 210 cm, 2012, Sky Court, Nakamura Keith Haring Museum in Yamanashi, courtesy Taku Obata & Keith Haring Museum

Bboy & Bgirl, wood sculpture, museum of modern art Saitama, courtesy Taku Obata and museum of modern art Saitama

Bboy, details, wood sculpture, museum of modern art Saitama, courtesy Taku Obata and museum of modern art Saitama

Bgirl & Bboy, wood sculpture, museum of modern art Saitama, courtesy Taku Obata and museum of modern art Saitama

Bgirl, details, wood sculpture, museum of modern art Saitama, courtesy Taku Obata and museum of modern art Saitama

Kiiroi Bgirl, wood sculpture, Japan house london, courtesy Taku Obata and Japan house london

Side view, Bboy Jiki, 2020, limoges porcelain, 18,5 × 27,5 × 17 cm, Bboy Jiki show in Paris, courtesy Taku Obata and Bomma, photo by Thomas Marroni

Untitled, Untitled, 2020, mixed media on paper, 59,5 × 84 cm, Bboy Jiki, limoges porcelain, 18,5 × 27,5 ×17 cm, Bboy Jiki show in Paris, courtesy Taku Obata and Bomma, photo by Thomas Marroni

Front view, Bboy Jiki, 2020, limoges porcelain, 18,5 × 27,5 × 17 cm, Bboy Jiki show in Paris, courtesy Taku Obata and Bomma, photo by Thomas Marroni

Untitled, Untitled, “Untitled”, 2020, mixed media on paper, 59,5 × 84 cm, Bboy Jiki show in Paris, courtesy Taku Obata and Bomma, photo by Thomas Marroni

Untitled” & “Untitled, 2020, mixed media on paper, 42 × 59,5 cm, Bboy Jiki show in Paris, courtesy Taku Obata and Bomma, photo by Thomas Marroni

Untitled, 2020, mixed media on canvas, courtesy of Akio Nagasawa gallery and Taku Obata