Makiko Ryujin

JAPAN

Makiko Ryujin 1982 is a Japanese-born, Melbourne-based woodturner, designer and photographer practicing experimental techniques.

Makiko Ryujin completed a Bachelor of Photography at RMIT in Melbourne. In late 2014 she started studying woodwork part-time with her mentor Carl Lutz. By mid 2016 Ryujin was focusing on developing her craft as a commercial practice. Her wood-turning work calls heavily upon her childhood in Japan. The sacredness and form of the bowls within Japanese culture inform the proportions and design of the objects Ryujin creates.

Ryujin first exhibited at the gallery in Designwork 03 in 2019. In 2020, she was commissioned alongside collaborator Michael Gittings to create Saṃsāra, 2020, a site-specific lighting installation for the tearoom and mezzanine at the National Gallery of Victoria as part of NGV Triennial.