Bunta Inoue

Bunta Inoue
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Born	Inoue Takaho (井上隆保) Osaka
Nationality	Japanese
Known for	Japanese painting、oil painting、character design、spatial art、tattooing
Awards	Hoso Bunka Foundation TV Programming Outstanding Individual Award for Excellence in Art (2010) The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Award: Best Television and Children's Program (2010)
Website	BUNTA iNOUE Officialsite

Inoue Takaho (井上隆保), better known by his alias Bunta Inoue (井上文太 Inoue Bunta), is a Japanese painter and visual artist. The name “Bunta” comes from his respect and admiration for Bunta Sugawara.

Studying under the painter Kuniyoshi Kaneko（金子國義 Kuniyoshi Kaneko）, Inoue has been engaged in everything from Japanese painting and oil painting, to character design, installation art, and tattooing after becoming an independent artist. He often collaborates with various industries, both private and corporate. While Inoue has expressed himself in a variety of ways, his main characteristics as an artist are that he looks up to his teacher and maintains his attitude of being a painter as his primary occupation.

Biography

Birth

Born in the Umeda area of Osaka, when Inoue was a child who would silently copy picture books from the age of two onward, much to the surprise of those around him.

Education

Inoue moved to the city of Amagasaki in Hyogo Prefecture at the age of seven. His grades were excellent in all subjects at the Amagasaki Municipal Mizudo Elementary School. His excellence was especially evident in arts and crafts as he continuously won first-place in the city's annual exhibitions. Inoue graduated from the Amagasaki Municipal Minami Mukonoso Junior High School and the Hotoku Gakuen High School. Among his classmates was the fashion designer Masahiro Nakagawa.

Artistic training

In 1990, while working as an in-house designer for a major manufacturer in Osaka, Inoue was amazed by the paintings of Kuniyoshi Kaneko at an exhibition at KPO (Kirin Plaza Osaka) in Shinsaibashi, and decided on the spot to become a painter. Inoue soon met Kaneko himself when he visited the venue, was fascinated by his enigmatic personality, and asked if he could study under him. He moved from Osaka to Tokyo two weeks later and began working as Kaneko’s apprentice. In 1994, Inoue met the American photographer Nan Goldin and served as a model for her photography.

Indendent career

After a nine-year apprenticeship, Inoue became an independent artist in 1998 and began to work as Bunta Inoue. As a multitalented painter and visual artist, Inoue has created a wide variety of artwork.

In 2010, Bunta Inoue was individually awarded the 36th Hoso Bunka Foundation HBF Prize for art in recognition of his character design for the Japanese puppet television show The Three Musketeers (Renzoku Ningyo Katsugeki Shin Sanjushi 連続人形活劇 新・三銃士). In May of that same year Inoue began his blog “Bunta Inoue’s Naps” (Inoue Bunta no hirune 井上文太のひるね).

In April 2011, Inoue participated in the “Bid to Save the Earth” Green Auction held by the auction house Christie’s. File:Christie's Green Auction A Bid to Save the Earth.jpg|thumb|Main vidual painted by inoue bunta.

In September 2011, Inoue completed the fusuma (sliding door) painting “Low Tide” (Kanchō zu 干潮図) for the Myokoji Temple in Kyoto which was open to the public October 16 to November 6, 2011.

In November 2011, he became the Director of the Japan office of Sailors for the Seas (SfS), a non-profit organization chaired by Rockefeller Foundation President David Rockefeller Jr.

In 2013, he was appointed Chairman of the Education Executive Committee of Sailors for the Sea (SfS) Japan Office.

That same year, his Japanese painting "Cranes" (tsuru zu 鶴図) was acquired by the Rockefeller family.

In 2014, Inoue established the general incorporated association “Tanoshii Koto Suru” (let’s have fun) and became spokesman for the board of directors.

That same year he took charge of puppet design and puppet art supervision for NHK Puppet Entertainment's Sherlock Holmes (Shārokku hōmuzu シャーロック ホームズ).

In 2015, he was appointed as an advisory art director for the hotel InterContinental Yokohama Grand.

That same year he won the 37th Japan Sherlock Holmes Grand Prize (Encouragement Award) of the Japan Sherlock Holmes Club.

In 2016 he was appointed as a public relations ambassador for the Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum (Kawaguchiko orugōru no mori bijutsukan 河口湖オルゴールの森美術館).

On January 8, 2020 he was appointed as Tateyama City's hometown ambassador (Tateyama City Art Ambassador).

On February 23, 2020 he dedicated a painting of Mt. Fuji to Kawaguchi Asama Shrine (about 2 meters long and 1.5 meters wide).

On March 31, 2021, an exhibition of his works, "Tateyama Art Ambassador: Painting Madman Bunta Inoue Exhibition," was held at Tateyama Castle in Chiba, Japan (March 31, 2021–March 31, 2022).

Painting

The subject matter of Inoue’s paintings can be divided into two major series: the "Lotus" (hasu 蓮) series, which depicts mental landscapes in a fantastic manner, and the "Wave" (nami 波) series, which features Japanese landscapes, flora and fauna. In the invitation to his first solo exhibition "Lotus" held in 1999, Inoue said that the former was "his prenatal memory from the ocean of amniotic fluid" and the latter was "his genetic memory as a Japanese," which his paintings depicted. The former is characterized by influences from such artists as Kuniyoshi Kaneko and Tatsuhiko Shibusawa, while the latter is characterized by influences from Rimpa school, Utagawa Kuniyoshi, and the “Scrolls of Frolicking Animals” (Chōjū giga 鳥獣戯画), is often described as expressing a unique never before seen worldview.

Character Design

Bunta Inoue worked as a character designer for The Three Musketeers (Renzoku Ningyo Katsugeki Shin Sanjushi 連続人形活劇 新・三銃士), which was a serial puppet show written by Kōki Mitani broadcast by NHK Educational TV from October 2009. In the guidebook for the show, Inoue Bunta discussed how Simon Yotsuya, a puppet artist, told him that he was saved as a puppet artist by Tatsuhiko Shibusawa, who taught him that a puppet is a puppet, suggesting his influence on his character design.

Tattoos

Since the opening of his own art gallery "yanque," Bunta Inoue has been active as a tattoo artist, tattooing his longtime friends, including the singer Hyde of the band L'Arc-en-Ciel, photographer Meisa Fujishiro, and actor Kiyohiko Shibukawa (KEE). These tattoos have been serialized in the magazine “SWITCH” for five times since 2000 (in photographs by Chikashi Kasai), and his work as a tattoo artist has become widely known. On tattoos, Inoue stated in the December 2004 issue of the magazine “TITLE” that, "The human body is perfectly formed and very beautiful. Therefore, there is really no need to have a tattoo. However, there are times when tattoos are effective in bringing out one’s own originality."

Collaborations

• Tattoos for the stage costumes for the production of “Book of the Dead: Dairakudan” (Tokyo and Hong Kong: 1996)

• "LOVERING EXTRAVAGANZA: EMI ELEONORA" poster and stage art (Sogetsu Hall, Tokyo: 1998)

• "Royal Order: Justin Davis" Space Produce (Shibuya Parco Quattro, Tokyo: 1998)

• "Royal Order: Justin Davis" Space Produce (Hankyu Department Store, Osaka: 1998)

• Selected as the third Asian representatives for the "Levi's vintage clothing" world promotion project (1999)

• "I pesci: Shunsuke Nakamura" Space Produce (Daikanyama, Tokyo: 2002)

• Coloring in collaboration with ROCK PORT for "ZOOMER: Honda" (T6M, Tokyo: 2002)

• Exhibition of three-dimensional eyelash rabbits (matsuge usagi まつげうさぎ) with a picture book at the INFAS Publications “Fashion News” Renewal Exhibition (D & Department, Tokyo: 2002).

• Exhibited "For SONY AIBO Kick Bord Custam Paint: Sony" in a collaborative work (TOKYO Designers Block: 2002)

• Release of “Eyelash Rabbit” and “Princess Cherry Blossom” original plush toys (2003)

• Release of Sony Creative Product Vanimal Zoo “Eyelash Rabbit”（2004）

• Release of "Bunta version: K-SWISS (MoonStar)" collaboration sneakers in Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan (2004)

• Release of original “Bunta Monchhichi” stuffed monkey toy in collaboration with the Sekiguchi Corporation (2004)

• Collaborated with Bijutsu Shuppansha for the “Designer’s Workshop” (Dezain no genba デザインの現場) “Designer’s Week 2005” (2005)

• Release of original “Bunta Monchhichi 2” and “Bunta Monchhichi 3” stuffed monkey toys in collaboration with the Sekiguchi Corporation (2008)

• VI Design for the Yasuhiro Hayashi’s (roots) bean paste cake “taiyaki” shop “Taiyaki Kanda Bodhidharma” (2008)

• Participated in "HOKUTO 7 PROJECT: for Fist of the North Star (Hokuto no ken 北斗の拳) (Buronson / Tetsuo Hara)" 25th Anniversary Project “7Artist” (2008)

• Designed the sumo wrestling ornamental apron for "Ozeki/Baruto Kaito (Onoe Stable): Justin Davis" (January 2012, the first tournament win in the highest sumo division) (2012)

• "Stella McCartney x Bunta Inoue" Christie's Green Auction (2012)

• "Environmental Education Workshop" (Yokohama City Shirahata Elementary School: 2012〜)

• "Project Let’s Have Fun " (Yokohama City Shirahata Elementary School / Symphonic Yard / Ichiyo: 2012)

• Produced and supervised by "Sherlock Holmes Figure Collection / De Agostini Japan Publishing" (2014)

• Logo production for the "STAND UP SUMMIT 2014-Reconstruction Sokojikara-/ Tokyo Big Sight Planning Event" (Tokyo: 2014)

• In charge of the main visual of the "Blue Seafood Guide Charity Dinner Reception” commemorating the visit to Japan of Mr. and Mrs. David Rockefeller Jr., Sailors for the Seas (SfS) Japan Branch Venue" (Kanagawa: 2014)

• Art direction for the InterContinental Yokohama Grand Hotel (Kanagawa: 2016)

• "Minamiboso Board of Education x NHK x General Incorporated Association Tanoshii Koto Suru Project" (Minamiboso City, Chiba Prefecture: 2016)

• "Minamiboso Board of Education x General Incorporated Association Tanoshii Koto Suru Project" (Minamiboso City, Chiba Prefecture: 2016)

Serial Publications

• Tattoo art on Hyde and others featured in photography columns of the magazine “SWITCH” (Switch Publishing: 2000)

• Direction of illustrations for the title and notice pages of the magazine “Designer’s Workshop” (Dezain no genba デザインの現場), INFAS Publications (2001–2002)

Main Exhibitions

• "Room ~ comon a my house ~" installation work (Tokyo: 1994)

• "Christmas Exhibition of Angels and Fairies" (Isetan Museum of Art, Tokyo: 1996)

• "Kuniyoshi Kaneko and Friends' Association Exhibition" (Isetan Museum of Art / Tokyo: 1997)

• International Festival of Fashion Photography" Collaboration with Nan Goldin (Kobe Fashion Museum, Hyogo / Mitsukoshi Museum, Tokyo: 1999)

• "Beyond Price" (Louvre Museum, France: 1999)

• "Surrealist Perspective" (Span Art Gallery, Tokyo: 1999)

• "Lotus" (Gallery Axis, Osaka: 1999)

• "Levi's Tattoo Jeans" (Levi's Store, Tokyo: 2000)

• "Levi's Tattoo Jeans" (Levi's Store, Tokyo, Fukuoka, Sapporo: 2001)

• "Takaho works --Levi's" (Levi's Store Shinjuku / Tokyo: 2002)

• "MATUGEUSAGI ~ Iridescent Star ~" (Art DEPOT, Tokyo: 2003)

• "Divine Beast merry, go, round" (Bunkamura Gallery, Tokyo: 2005)

• "Inter-subjective personality" (mori yu gallery / Kyoto, arton art gallery, Kyoto: 2006)

• Exhibited at "Art Fair Tokyo 2007" (Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo: 2007)

• Exhibited at "NIKAF Korea Art Fair" (Korea: 2007)

• Exhibited at "ART@AGNES2008" (Agnes Hotel and Apartments Tokyo / Tokyo: 2007)

• Exhibited at "Art Fair Tokyo 2008" (Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo: 2008)

• "Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter Stucco" (Shunkashūtō shikkui zu 春夏秋冬漆喰図), arton art gallery, Kyoto: 2009)

• Exhibited at "Art Fair Tokyo 2009" (Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo: 2009)

• "Sequential subjective personality" (mori yu gallery, Tokyo: 2009)

• Exhibited at "Art Fair Tokyo 2010" (Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo: 2010)

"INOUE BUNTA in Wonderland" (Bunkamura Gallery, Tokyo: August 2010)

• "Bunta Inoue's Rabbit Exhibition-Eyelash Rabbits and the Rainbow-Colored Story-Rainbow" (Shinjuku Marui One, Tokyo: August 2010)

• "INOUE BUNTA's ARCHIVES ~ Four Rooms ~" (arton art gallery, Kyoto: November 2010)

• Release of the fusuma (sliding door) painting “Low Tide” (Kanchō zu 干潮図) for the Myokoji Temple in Kyoto + Bunta Inoue Exhibition" (Myokoji, Kyoto: October 2011)

"Bring Art Home. A New, Fun, and Warm life begins." Exhibition (Ginza Mitsukoshi, Tokyo: July 2012)

• "Inner child-a little memory-" (Kyoto Cultural Museum Annex, Kyoto: October 2012)

• Tanoshi Koto Suru Project Nippon Daisukiten in Happo-en" (Happo-en, Tokyo: August 2014)

• "NHK Puppet Entertainment" Sherlock Holmes Exhibition " (NHK Studio Park, Tokyo: 2014)

• "Kyoto International Contemporary Art Festival PARASOPHIA" See Visions Exhibition-Creating the Future- "(arton art gallery, Kyoto: 2015)

• Exhibited at "Art Fair Tokyo 2015" (Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo: 2015)

• Exhibited at "20th NHK Heart Exhibition" (national traveling exhibition: 2015)

"33 --Lapis Ocean --Shining Blue 2015" (Yokohama Grand Intercontinental Hotel Club Lounge ・ Kanagawa: 2015)

• "Sherlock Holmes World Exhibition" (Yokohama Doll Museum, Kanagawa: May 2015)

• "Gerd Knäpper Gallery Exhibition" (Gerd Knäpper Gallery, Ibaraki: 2015)

• "Sherlock Holmes I am a cat" (arton art gallery, Kyoto: 2015)

• "Homes & Watson Mystery Room Exhibition" (Yokohama Doll Museum, Kanagawa: 2015)

• Exhibited at "Art Fair Tokyo 2016" (Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo: May 2016)

• "Special Exhibition: Summer Vacation for Puppets-Sherlock's Minamiboso Satomi Hakkenden Report-" (Minamiboso City, Chiba: 2016)

• "For THE FUTURE IS BLUE Donation" representative from Japan (Christie's Rockefeller Plaza, New York: 2016)

• "Special Exhibition: Children's Drawings of" Aquariums That Should Be "-Whale Edition-" (Minamiboso City, Chiba: 2016)

• "Great East Japan Earthquake Reconstruction Assistance 33 --Lapis Ocean --Shining Blue" (Miyagi: 2015)

• Exhibited at "Art Fair Tokyo 2017" (Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo: 2017)

• Exhibited at "Art Fair Tokyo 2018" (Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo: 2018)

• "Bunta inoue Solo Exhibition Line and Light" (ASJ Tokyo Cell Tokyo: 2018)

• "Great East Japan Earthquake Reconstruction Assistance 33 --Lapis Ocean --Shining Blue" (Miyagi: 2018)

• "Bunta inoue Solo Exhibition MOTHER" (ASJ Yokohama Cell / Kanagawa: 2018)

• "NO PLASTIC Exhibition" CHOICE "" (ASJ Yokohama Cell, Kanagawa: 2018)

• " Tateyama Art Ambassador: Painting Madman Bunta Inoue Exhibition " (Tateyama Castle / Chiba: 2021-2022)

Holdings

• Whitney Museum of American Art

• Centre Pompidou

• AURA ART PROJECT

Restoration Support Activities

In the wake of the Tohoku Earthquake, he began his support activities on March 12, 2011, mainly through his blog. In addition to selling posters and candles for The Three Musketeers, he has been visiting nursery schools, kindergartens, and elementary schools in the affected areas to hold art workshops for children and provide them with art materials.

File:JR BusKanto H657-18410 Bunta Inoue.jpeg|thumb|right|The Reiwa Satomi Hakkenden bus designed by Bunta Inoue.

At the request of JR Bus Kanto, Inoue Bunta designed the bus body and bus stop signage for the Boso Rapeseed Flower Bus to support the reconstruction of Tateyama City, Chiba Prefecture, which was damaged by floods caused by Typhoon No. 21 in 2019.

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