Metamorphosis of the Tea Tree
— The Tea Tree Becomes a Butterfly —
2025.6.19 ~ 2025.8.17
新野 洋 ／ 作品名
At Art Space Fukujuen, a gallery presenting a wide range of works from traditional crafts to contemporary art centered on tea culture, we are pleased to present our fourth exhibition, Metamorphosis — Tea Tree into Butterfly, by artist Hiroshi Niino.
Based in the southern Yamashiro region of Kyoto Prefecture, an area renowned for tea production, Niino creates intricately detailed sculptural works by casting and reproducing flowers and living organisms found in the tea fields surrounding his atelier using synthetic resin.
In addition, the exhibition features antique tools such as traditional tea chests once used in tea production in this region. Through these works, visitors are invited to experience the rich history and culture of tea in southern Kyoto’s Yamashiro area.
Biography
Born in Kyoto in 1979, he grew up surrounded by nature, fostering a deep interest in living organisms, especially insects.
He graduated from Kyoto University of Art and Design in 2003 with a focus on oil painting, before relocating to Vienna.
In 2004, he entered the Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien. During his studies, his work transitioned from painting to sculptural forms.
He obtained his master’s degree in 2008, returned to Japan in 2010, and has since 2012 been based in the mountainous southern Kyoto area, where he continues to produce his work.