Riko Mizuno (born 1932) is a gallerist, art dealer, and artist. Born in

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

, Japan, she moved to Los Angeles in the 1950s to study ceramics at Chouinard Art Institute. Between 1966 and 1984, Mizuno operated galleries at three locations in Los Angeles. Artist Vija Celmins characterized Mizuno's contribution to the art world in a 1993 interview with Susan Morgan of the ''Los Angeles Times'': "Riko Mizuno was very important to artists in Los Angeles. She created an incredibly nurturing atmosphere. We would sit around her kitchen, drinking sake, eating her delicious food, and always talking, talking."

Mizuno Gallery

In 1966, Mizuno opened Gallery 669 on La Cienega Boulevard. She collaborated briefly at 669 with Eugenia Butler. In 1969 she re-opened the gallery as Mizuno Gallery. Mizuno Gallery operated until 1984 at three locations: on La Cienega Boulevard, in Little Tokyo, and on N. Robertson Boulevard. Over this period, she exhibited the work of artists such as Larry Bell,

Billy Al Bengston Billy Al Bengston (June 7, 1934 – October 8, 2022) was an American visual artist and sculptor who lived and worked in Venice, California, and Honolulu, Hawaii. Bengston was probably best known for work he created that reflected California's " ...

, Robert Irwin, Ed Moses, and Ken Price, many of whom had been associated in the 1960s with the Ferus Gallery, as well as the early works of artists who later became notable, such as

Chris Burden Christopher Lee Burden (April 11, 1946 – May 10, 2015) was an American artist working in performance, sculpture and installation art. Burden became known in the 1970s for his performance art works, including ''Shoot'' (1971), where he arranged ...

, Jack Goldstein, Mike Kelley,

Alexis Smith Margaret Alexis Fitzsimmons-Smith (June 8, 1921 – June 9, 1993) was a Canadian-born American actress and singer. She appeared in several major Hollywood films in the 1940s and had a notable career on Broadway in the 1970s, winning a Tony Awar ...

, and Doug Wheeler. In a 1973 article on Burden, Peter Plagens referred to Mizuno's gallery, where Burden had recently performed ''Dead Man'', as a "young artist showplace".

Notes

External links

Mizuno Gallery Records, 1955-2005, bulk 1966-1988. Finding aid to the collection, on the Online Archive of California.

Video: Riko Mizuno, Vija Celmins, and Ed Moses speak about the Mizuno Gallery (Pacific Standard Time at the Getty)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mizuno, Riko American art dealers American artists of Japanese descent American conceptual artists 1932 births Living people Artists from Tokyo Japanese emigrants to the United States Art museums and galleries in Los Angeles Contemporary art galleries in the United States Art galleries established in 1969 Defunct art museums and galleries in California Women art dealers