S otheby’s is delighted to present the first exhibition by Tamie Okuyama (b. 1946) in Hong Kong and one of her largest exhibitions to date. Presenting over 90 paintings, works on paper and etchings, the exhibition shines light on an artist who at 78 years old is finally receiving the international recognition she deserves.
At the core of Okuyama’s work is the connection between humans, nature and the universe. Her curiosity about the world is reflected in her paintings which draw inspiration from sources as varied as Chinese landscape painting from the Song and Yuan dynasties, Gaudi’s architecture, European old master paintings, and breath therapy.
Her recent paintings of the sun reflect a deep awe of our planet’s most important star. The artist invites you to gaze deeply into these powerful paintings, watch the surfaces shimmer, the balls of light expand and contract and let go of your ego.
“What are human beings and where is our place in the universe?” she asks. “If we can believe that all things in nature are equal, then we can become more tolerant, more free, and more happy”.
Nick Buckley Wood
Private Sales Director, Asia
28 February - 15 March 2025
Monday–Saturday | 11:00PM–7:00PM
Sunday & Public Holiday | 11:00PM–6:00PM
Sotheby's Maison, Hong Kong
1/F, Landmark Chater, 8 Connaught Road Central, Central
Enquiries:
Fusako Oshima | Fusako.Oshima@sothebys.com
Specialist, Private Sales, Asia
"When you look at my paintings of the sun, notice that it is breathing. It seems to disappear if you relax deeply when you look at it. This happens because of organic flickers in your body. It will bring me joy if you experience this directly from my painting without any theory."
T amie Okuyama was born in Jōetsu City, Japan. Her family moved to Tokyo when she was a toddler and resided in a large home with beautiful gardens. Unable to attend kindergarten, with no books, toys or even a single friend to play with, she learned at a very young age to commune with nature, which later became a major source of inspiration.
As an Antoni Gaudí aficionado, Tamie planned to be an architect, but was strongly discouraged from doing so, told there would be no room in Japanese society for a successful female architect. Instead, she chose to study design at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and moved to Spain after graduation. From there, Okuyama travelled to various European, Middle Eastern and Asian countries, encountering for the first time, new sceneries, flowers, fruits and animals, that are later captured in her work.
Okuyama’s first solo exhibition took place in 1978, at a rental gallery in Tokyo, that drew in vast media attention and was a near-sellout show. This gave her the confidence and courage to explore in depth, an increasingly important topic to her: The oneness of humankind and nature.
Okuyama has garnered multiple painting awards and sell out exhibitions, with works held in some notable museum collections, including The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama, Yokohama Museum of Art, Setagaya Art Museum Tokyo, Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery and Wacoal Art Center, Tokyo to name a few.
Having completed seven years as a professor of oil painting at the Onomichi University in Hiroshima, Okuyama is now back in Tokyo, residing in her home she designed herself, where she built two studios – a Japanese room for Japanese-style paintings, nihonga, and a separate wood-floored studio for oil painting. Her favourite place is the rooftop, accessible from her studio, where she has an unobstructed view of the sun, a subject matter which she considers her life’s work.
