press release
Toshiko Takaezu Foundation Awarded Mellon Foundation Grant to Advance Arts and Cultural Initiatives
December 12, 2024
The Toshiko Takaezu Foundation is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded a prestigious Mellon Foundation grant, further solidifying its commitment to preserving and promoting the legacy of Toshiko Takaezu (1922 - 2011). This grant not only recognizes the enduring legacy of Takaezu but also propels forward the foundation’s mission to safeguard and celebrate her life's work and teachings.
This recognition comes at a time when Takaezu’s influence is being celebrated across the nation. The Toshiko Takaezu: Worlds Within exhibition, organized in collaboration with The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum, has been a resounding success and will soon embark on a national tour. From September 30, 2023–September 29, 2024, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is showcased Toshiko Takaezu: Shaping Abstraction, featuring highlights such as a large-scale weaving and a collection of works that explore her cross-cultural interactions with Japanese ceramicists during her pivotal eight-month trip to Japan in 1955–56.
Toshiko Takaezu was an American interdisciplinary artist best known for her ceramic closed-form sculptures, abstract paintings, weavings, and bronze works. Born in Pepeekeo, Hawai’i, to Japanese immigrant parents from Okinawa, Takaezu initially took classes in ceramics in Honolulu prior to attending Cranbrook Academy in Michigan. Takaezu was instrumental in the post-war reconceptualization of ceramics from the functional craft tradition to the realm of fine art. In addition to being a prolific artist, she was an influential teacher at the Cleveland Institute of Art, Princeton University, Skidmore, and other institutions.
The Mellon Grant, along with being in the Ruth Arts “Thought Leader” program, will provide essential support for the foundation's ongoing efforts to ensure that Takaezu’s remarkable legacy continues to inspire future generations. Throughout her life, Takaezu overcame numerous challenges with unwavering dedication, pushing the boundaries of ceramics with her innovative spirit and creativity.
"There is tremendous momentum surrounding Toshiko Takaezu’s legacy, and this grant serves as a well-deserved recognition of her impact," said Darlene Fukuji, President of the Toshiko Takaezu Foundation and great-niece of the artist.
As part of this celebration, the foundation is excited to announce the following initiatives supported by the Mellon Grant:
Preservation and Documentation: Build upon the recent archiving by the Smithsonian Archives of American Art (AAA) and the foundation to safeguard Takaezu’s artistic legacy.
Documentary and Oral History Initiatives: Creating a documentary and oral history on Takaezu, with interviews from those inspired by her work, alongside partnerships with museums and scholars for ongoing research, publications, and exhibitions.
Community Engagement: Funding an artist-in-residency or fellows program to foster artistic creativity and community engagement, honoring Takaezu’s legacy.
About the Toshiko Takaezu Foundation
The Toshiko Takaezu Foundation is dedicated to preserving and promoting the artistic legacy of Toshiko Takaezu. The Foundation facilitates exhibitions, supports research projects, provides access to archives, and ensures public awareness of Takaezu’s artistic contributions. toshikotakaezufoundation.org | contact@toshikotakaezufoundation.org
About the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Learn more at mellon.org.
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