PERSONAL
1942 Born in Nagoya, Japan
EDUCATION
1971 Claremont Graduate School, Claremont, CA, studied under Paul Soldner
1966 University of California, Berkeley, CA, studied under Peter Voulkos
1964 Chouinard Art Institute, Los Angeles, CA, & California Institute of Art, Los Angeles, CA
Studied ceramics at Jerry Rothman's studio, Paramount, CA
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
1979-86 Cranbrook Academy of Art
1973-75 Rhode Island School of Design
1974 Scripps College
1972-73 University of New Hampshire
FOUNDATIONS
2000 Founder, KANEKO: Open Space for Your Mind, Omaha, NE
1985 Co-Founder, Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, Omaha, NE
GRANTS AND HONORS SINCE 2005
2023 Dick and Mary Holland Leadership Award, Omaha Symphony, Omaha, NE
2021 International Sculpture Center Lifetime Achievement Award
2018 Commendation from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Honorary Doctorate, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
Gold Medal for Consummate Craftsmanship, American Craft Council
2011 Master of the Media, James Renwick Alliance, Washington, DC
2010 Artist Advisory Board, The Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia, PA
2008 Honorary Doctorate, Massachusetts College of Art & Design, Boston, MA
2006 Honorary Doctorate, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE
2005 Honorary Doctorate, Royal College of Art, London, England
SELECT PUBLIC ART / CORPORATE COMMISSIONS SINCE 2005
2023 Umekita Park, Osaka, Japan
2022 Dream, Gene Leahy Mall at The RiverFront, Omaha, NE
2021 LinkedIn Midwest Headquarters, Omaha, NE
2020 The Space Between: Frank Lloyd Wright | Jun Kaneko, Albright-Knox Gallery at the Darwin D. Martin House Complex, Buffalo, NY
2019 The Ritz-Carlton, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
Origin, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
2018 Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Arts Learning Center, Portland Japanese Gardens, Portland, OR
2017 Westfield Century City, Los Angeles, CA
Three Columns, Yanney Heritage Park, Kearney, NE
Passion, Bisha Hotel & Residencies, Toronto, Canada
Railside Plaza, Grand Island, NE
Search, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
2016 Number 1 Capitol Building, Hawaii State Art Museum, Honolulu, HI
Otemachi Springs, Shimizu Art Office, Otemachi, Tokyo, Japan
2015 Richmond Center for Visual Arts, University of Michigan, Kalamazoo, MI
Nihondaira Zoo, Omaha Sister City Association, Shizuoka, Japan
2014 Ascent, Tower Square, Lincoln, NE
Garden of the Tanuki, Henry Doorley Zoo, Omaha, NE
University of Michigan, College of Engineering, Ann Arbor, MI
2013 Expansion, Pump House, Des Moines, IA
Legends, Myths and Truths: Jun Kaneko, Millennium Park, Boeing Galleries, Chicago, IL
San Diego Country Operations Center, San Diego, CA
Impressions, School of Music, Theater, and Dance, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Passages, Eli Whitney Technical School, Hamden CT
2012 5 Dangos, Principal River Walk, Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation, Des Moines, IA
Conversation, International Financial Center, Shanghai, China
Current, 1000 Connecticut, Washington, DC.
2011 Grand Hyatt Tokyo, Roppongi Tower, Tokyo, Japan
2010 Great Path Academy, Manchester, CT2009 Mammel Hall, College of Business Administration, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE
12 West, Gerding Edlen, Twelfth & Washington Project, Portland, OR
University of Nebraska Medical Center Michael F. Sorrell Center for Health Science Education, Omaha, NE
2008 Kaneko on Park Avenue (06/08–11/08), New York City Parks Public Art Program, New York, NY
2007 Temple Har Shalom, Park City, UT
Rhythm, Mid-America Center, Iowa West Public Art, Council Bluffs, IA
Four Seasons Resort Maui, Wailea, HI
2006 Colorbox, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ
Water Plaza, Bartle Hall/Convention Center, Kansas City, MO
Frontline, University of Connecticut, Burton Family Complex, Storrs, CT
2005 Passages, City of Omaha, Hilton Omaha (Project 2), Omaha, NE
Grand Hyatt Hotel, Rippongi Tower (Project 2), Tokyo, Japan
OPERA PRODUCTION DESIGN
The Magic Flute
San Francisco Opera, San Francisco, CA (2015); Kennedy Center, Washington D.C (2014); Opera Carolina, Charlotte, NC (2013); Kansas City Lyric Opera, MO (2013); Opera Omaha, Omaha, NE (2013); San Francisco Opera, San Francisco, CA (2012)
Fidelio
Opera Omaha, Omaha, NE (2015); Opera Company of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (2008)
Madame Butterfly
Opera Omaha, Omaha, NE (2019); Washington National Opera, Kennedy Center, Washington D.C. (2017); San Francisco Opera, San Francisco, CA (2016); San Francisco Opera, San Francisco, CA (2014); Opera Omaha, Omaha, NE (2011); Opera Memphis, Memphis, TN (2010); Vancouver Opera, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (2010); Opera Company of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA (2009); Madison Opera, Madison, WI (2008); Atlanta Opera, Atlanta, GA (2008); Hawaii Opera Theater, Maui, HI (2007); Hawaii Opera Theater, Honolulu, HI (2007); Dayton Opera, Dayton, OH (2006); Opera Omaha, Omaha, NE (2006)
SELECT MUSEUM COLLECTIONS
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan ; Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum, Nagoya, Japan ; Arabia Museum, Helsinki, Finland ; The Banff Centre, Walter Phillips Gallery, Alberta, Canada ; Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, Cedar Rapids, IA ; Cranbrook Art Museum, Bloomfield Hills, MI ; Cornell Museum of Fine Art, Winter Park, FL; Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY ; Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, MI ; Dixon Gallery & Gardens, Memphis, TN ; Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, CA ; Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA ; The Gardiner Museum, Toronto, Canada ; Incheon World Ceramic Center, Seoul, South Korea ; Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, NE ; Japan Foundation, Tokyo, Japan ; LongHouse Reserve, East Hampton, NY ; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA ; The Museum of Arts & Design, New York, NY ; The Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Shigaraki, Japan ; The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu, HI ; The Museum het Kruithius, s’Hertogenbosch, Netherlands ; The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, Japan ; Nagoya City Museum, Nagoya, Japan ; The National Crafts Gallery, Kanazawa, Japan ; The National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Australia ; The National Museum of Art, Osaka, Japan; The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO ; Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, CA; Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA; Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ; Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR; Princeton University Art Museum, Princeton, NJ; The Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC; Victoria & Albert Museum, London, England; Wingate Art & Design Building, Ft Smith, AR ; Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum, Yamaguchi, Japan.
