ACC mourns the recent passing of contemporary Japanese ceramic sculpture artist Mishima Kimiyo (ACC 1986) on June 19, 2024. Originally from Osaka, Japan, Mishima was an artist whose work spanned mediums from paint, to collage, and clay. Her notable ceramic sculpture works brought realistic depictions of trash, such as discarded newspapers, print materials, and cardboard containers, to the forefront of discourse on mass consumption and the development of information in society. These impactful sculptures and art pieces spoke on the “throwaway” nature of contemporary mass media as a critique of society’s wastefulness. Mishima used recycled clay for her sculptural bodies to represent the “breakable” and “disposable” characteristics of daily news.

In 1986 Mishima received an ACC grant allowing her to survey contemporary visual art activities in the United States. In Joan B Mirviss’ tribute to Mishima, they noted “As a result of receiving a Rockefeller Grant [ACC grant] in 1986-87, the art scene in New York became an influential part of development. Her work continued to evolve, and her witty, metaphorical sculptures were exhibited internationally.”

Mishima Kimiyo, 2021. PHOTO PHILIP FONGAFP VIA GETTY IMAGES.