is a Japanese textile artist who has created

kimono The is a traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan. The kimono is a wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and a rectangular body, and is worn Garment collars in hanfu#Youren (right lapel), left side wrapped over ri ...

since 1958. Shimura was awarded multiple honours including the Living National Treasure in 1990 and the 2014

Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy The Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy is awarded once a year by the Inamori Foundation for lifetime achievements in the arts and philosophy. The Prize is one of three Kyoto Prize categories; the others are the Kyoto Prize in Advanced Technolog ...

Early life and education

Shimura was born in Omihachiman,

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

on 30 September 1924. She completed her education at

Bunka Gakuin is a Japanese vocational school. It opened in 1921 as the first co-educational school in Japan. Alumni * Hisae Imai * Takako Irie * Liu Chi-hsiang * Yoko Mizuki * Akiko Santo * Akira Terao *Mitsu Yashima * Guan Zilan, Chinese painter Referen ...

in 1942.

Career

In 1955, Shimura began working in textile art. After meeting the Japanese artist

Tatsuaki Kuroda was a Japanese woodworker and lacquerware artist. He was nominated a Living National Treasure in 1970. He received a commission to create the doorknob bases for the ''Take-no-Ma'' audience room in the new Tokyo Imperial Palace. The bases are 52 ...

, Shimura participated in an art event held by the

Japan Kōgei Association The Japan Kōgei Association (日本工芸会) is a non-profit association dedicated to the protection and development of intangible cultural heritage, traditional Japanese crafts and supporting artisans such as Living National Treasures. The org ...

in 1957. During her career, Shimura studied under artists Toshijiro Inagaki and Tomimoto Kenkichi. She has created numerous kimono since her first work in 1958 entitled "Autumn Mist". In 2015, Shimura's art was shown at the Museum of Modern Art, Shiga. In 2016, Shimura had exhibitions at the

National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto The is an art museum in Kyoto, Japan. This Kyoto museum is also known by the English acronym MoMAK (Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto). History The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto (MoMAK) was initially created as the Annex Museum of the Nationa ...

and the

Okinawa Prefectural Museum The , or Okimu for short, is a museum in the most southern prefecture of Japan. The museum complex in the Omoro-machi area of Naha, the capital city of Okinawa Prefecture. It opened in November 2007, and includes art, history, and natural history ...

. Apart from her creations in textile art, Shimura created spaces for textile art learning with her daughter. In 1989, Shimura and her daughter opened up a work space for textile art and a religious spot for weaving in 2013. Shimura also wrote books that were awarded the Nihon Essayist Club Prize and the Osaragi Jirō Prize.

Awards and honors

Shimura was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1986, named a Living National Treasure in 1990 and given the

Person of Cultural Merit is an official Japanese recognition and honour which is awarded annually to select people who have made outstanding cultural contributions. This distinction is intended to play a role as a part of a system of support measures for the promotion of ...

honor in 1993. Other honors Shimura was bestowed with include the 2014

and the

Order of Culture The is a Japanese Order (decoration), order, established on February 11, 1937. The order has one class only, and may be awarded to men and women for contributions to Japanese Art, Japan's art, Japanese Literature, literature, science, technolog ...

the following year.

Personal life

Shimura is the mother of Yoko Shimura, who is also a textile artist.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shimura, Fukumi 1924 births Living people Artists from Shiga Prefecture Living National Treasures of Japan Kyoto laureates in Arts and Philosophy 20th-century women textile artists 20th-century Japanese textile artists 21st-century Japanese textile artists 20th-century Japanese women artists 21st-century Japanese women artists 21st-century women textile artists