Artist Statement: Struggling to escape uncertainty and driven by the urge to "escape reality," I dropped a drop of coffee on a tablecloth and watched it spread along the fibers. I was struck by its beauty and mysterious movement, and seized the previously unimaginable sensation of being able to create artwork without friction. It was a kind of reversal of thinking. My sumi-e (ink painting) is a unique technique, unique in the history of sumi-e, that allows for frictionless drawing and layering. It is precisely because of uncertainty that I am driven by a strong desire to seek certainty and explore existence. I also incorporate my desire to protect the natural environment into my work. Through my interactions with the Ainu people, the indigenous people of Hokkaido, I learned that there is no distinction between the lives of all living creatures on Earth, and that coexistence with nature is essential for their prosperity. I struggle with the contradiction between my own self, which justifies and accepts a destructive aesthetic for the sake of human convenience and prosperity, and my own self, which advocates for environmental protection by depicting the Blakiston's Fish Owl, revered as the supreme deity by the Ainu people, who have coexisted with nature. Despite this contradiction, I continue to pursue my dream and pick up my paintbrush every day.
What is "nijimigaR"?
Makoto Ambo's world began with a single drop of water. The origins of nijimigaR were born in 1993, and the technique was established in 1994.
"nijimigaR," a new Japanese sumi-e (ink painting), is a completely new technique and expression method that has been registered as a trademark.
Rather than painting directly on washi paper with a brush soaked in ink, the artist layers dried ink blocks.
The greatest feature of this style is the shadows created by layering ink-soaked blocks multiple times, but its greatest appeal lies in the mysterious depth and transparency it creates. It is a unique technique unparalleled even within the 4,000-year history of sumi-e (ink painting).
Makoto Ambo / Biography
Makoto Ambo was born in Saroma Town, Hokkaido, and later moved to Chitose City, where he was exposed to Ainu culture.
He enrolled in the Graphic Design Department of Hokkaido Institute of Design and Architecture in 1981 and graduated in 1983. In 1993, he developed the origins of nijimiga (ink painting), and in 1994, he established his own unique shading technique.
He began working as a freelance designer in Sapporo. He signed a two-year contract with POLO B.C.S., designing logos and cut-and-sew clothing.
In 1995, he obtained a calligraphy instructor license from Nihon Shodo Hyoronsha.
In 1996, after appearing on an NHK program, he spread his new sumi-e (ink painting) style and began working as a contemporary artist.
In 2018, inspired by his efforts to rescue his beloved cat Momoko, he began supporting rescued cats under the theme "Save the Cats & Dogs."
2022: "nijimigaR" became a registered trademark.
2023: Samurai Japan manager Hideki Kuriyama's undershirt featured an owl designed by Makoto Abo to commemorate Samurai Japan's victory in the WBC World Baseball Classic.
2025: Appointed as a "Hometown Support Ambassador" by Saroma Town, Ambo's hometown.
- We will work with the Kushiro Raptor Medical Research Institute to protect and research raptors.
- We will work with the Environmental Relations Institute to participate in reforestation programs.
★Major Awards
1995: Encouragement Award, 10th Hokkaido Calligraphy Artists Exhibition (Hokkaido Calligraphy Artists Association)
1996: Excellence Award, 19th National Art Exhibition (Tokyo International Art Association)
French Artists Society (Paris)
2020: Le Salon, the world's oldest and most prestigious salon, an open exhibition continuing for over 400 years
Winner of the Societe des Artistes Francais Prize at the 230th Le Salon 2020
Selected for the 235th Le Salon 2025
- Selected as a Contemporary Artist to Watch 2024 by Contemporary Art Collectors (Spain)
- Winner of the Collectors' Art Prize 2023
- Global Art Virtuoso Award 2024
- Selected as a "Master of Contemporary Art" and appointed as an "Artistic Ambassador" by the Fondazione Effetto Arte (Florence)
- 2023 Artistic Career Award: STAR
- Botticelli International Prize
- Leonardo da Vinci International Prize: Special Gold Medal
- Art Incubation (New York) 2024; New York International Calligraphy Exhibition 2024: Excellence Award
- Lifetime Achievement Award and World Art Excellence Award from the Fondazione Costanza (Venice, Italy)
- Creativity Oscar, a prestigious award that enhances the historical value of art and honors the world's most outstanding, unique talent and original creativity. Awarded the title "Mediterranean Art Ambassador."
Receive the prestigious "Mona Lisa Prize" in 2025 from the Women of the Louvre (France)
Receive the San Marco Golden Lion and Golden Globe Award in 2025 from the Italian Historical and Art Criticism Association (Cetta, Venice)
Receive the Lifetime Excellence in the Arts Award and "Ambassador of the Arts" from Vision Art Media (New York) in 2025
