Junichiro Iwase

Biography

Junichiro Iwase was born in Tokyo, Japan 1971. He immigrated to Richmond, B.C. with family the following year. After graduating from high school in Richmond, he attends the Fine Art Program at Vancouver Community College. In 1992 he becomes an apprentice at the Johnson Atelier Institute of Sculpture in New Jersey where he meets sculptors George Segal, Marisol Escobar, Joel Shapiro and Claes Oldenburg. He serves as an apprentice to their work until he completes his internship in 1997. During this period, he holds his first sculpture exhibition in New York with critical review. In 1997, he moves to Tokyo and begins painting and exhibiting work with Japanese avant-garde artists. He has held numerous solo exhibitions in Tokyo and showcased his work at international art fairs. He returns to his hometown and soon after receives commission for the Japanese-Canadian Fishermen’s Memorial.



Currently, Junichiro continues to exhibit his work at local and international art exhibitions, most recently at the Liverpool Biennial in 2010. His works are in private collections all over the world.



Fragility and strength is a common theme found in Junichiro’s paintings and sculpture.



He currently lives and works in Richmond, B.C.