Kenjiro Kitade

Kenjiro Kitade was born in Tokyo,  Japan in February 1977. At the age of 13 he and his family emigrated to the United States. In 1995 he enrolled at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Education, majoring in Fine Art and also completed a master’s program there, concentrating in ceramic sculpture. Career highlights include the bronze at the World Ceramic Exposition in South Korea in 2005, and later showing at the highly selective SOFA show (Sculpture Objects and Functional Art) in Chicago, Miami and New York. Living and working in New York City, he participates in numerous art fairs and exhibitions, working with several galleries nationally and internationally.

The main theme of Kitade’s artwork is focused on questioning.  The sources of the ideas are picked up from his own life experiences, starting from personal experiences and expanding into what’s happening in the world, including history, current event and future issues.  Based on these themes, He questions why it’s happening, what’s the real meaning. Kitade wants to point out these issues to people. “I would be very happy if my pieces triggered discussions with those who see my artwork.  Each piece of artwork has a theme and its own point of view, a sarcastic nuance, and I want to plant a seed in the viewers’ hearts and minds.” 

Courtesy of Ivy Brown Gallery