Let’s Make Wind Chimes: The Sound of Wind in May

Reiko Nireki

Reiko Nireki was born in Higashi Izu, Shizuoka Prefecture. Between 1988 and 1996, she lived in the United Kingdom and Germany, where she studied fine art. In 1996, she completed her master’s degree in Sculpture at the Berlin University of the Arts. She later worked in Finland and Brazil as an Artist Fellow under the Overseas Study Program of the Agency for Cultural Affairs.
During her time at the Berlin University of the Arts, Nireki created a three-dimensional work using recycled paper as her graduation project. Following her return to Japan, this experience became the catalyst for her continued practice of creating two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and installation works using kozo fibers (the raw material for washi paper) as her primary medium. The artist values a creative approach that draws inspiration from the surrounding environment, and she has participated in numerous artist-in-residence programs in Europe and Asia. Nireki has also organized interactive programs with fellow artists she met during overseas residencies. In 2019, she returned to Shizuoka, where she currently runs parent-and-child classes and workshops that introduce children to the joy of making things.