Toshio IEZUMI is a leading figure in Japanese contemporary glass art, known for expanding glass into a sculptural medium through his distinctive lamination technique. By stacking and bonding dozens of sheet glass layers and then carving them, he reveals the depth of light and a sense of temporality generated through stratification.
Mirror structures embedded within the work reflect ambient light, creating an additional spatial dimension inside the glass. Focusing on blue-green hues—colors to which human vision is particularly sensitive—he maximizes the interplay of reflection and absorption. His work redefines glass not as a purely transparent material, but as a medium with density, weight, and sculptural presence.
Iezumi has received numerous major awards, including prizes at the International Exhibition of Glass Kanazawa. His works are held in leading international collections, including the Corning Museum of Glass, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and the National Museum of Modern Art, Japan. Through his integration of nature, light, and structure, he has established a strong international reputation.
Education
Tokyo Glass Art Institute, Japan
Awards & Honors
Silver Prize, The International Exhibition of Glass Kanazawa, Industrial Gallery, Japan
Distinguished Achievement Award, Vessels, The International Exhibition of Glass, Koganezaki Glass Museum, Japan
Encouragement Prize, The Suntory Prize, Suntory Museum, Japan
2nd Prize, Asahi Contemporary Crafts Exhibition, Japan
Silver Prize, The International Exhibition of Glass Kanazawa, Industrial Gallery, Japan
Distinguished Achievement Award, Notojima Open-Air Glass Art Competition, Japan
Gold Prize, Takaoka Crafts Exhibition, Japan
Public Collections
Corning Museum of Glass, USA
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), USA
Real Fábrica de Cristales de La Granja, Spain
The National Museum of Modern Art, Japan
Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, Japan
21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, Japan
Suntory Museum of Art, Japan
Tochigi Prefectural Museum of Fine Arts, Japan
Notojima Glass Art Museum, Japan
Ashikaga Museum of Art, Japan
Koganezaki Glass Museum, Japan
