For the month of July, Russo Lee Gallery presents a Memorial Exhibition for Michihiro Kosuge (1943–2021). Known for distinctive sculptures made primarily of stone, Kosuge maintained an active studio practice for more than 40 years. This exhibition features works created over several decades and includes pieces in granite, basalt, as well as stainless steel, that Kosuge thoughtfully shaped into organic and geometric forms. A selection of Kosuge’s paintings will also be included in the exhibit. Emerging from his profound respect for the natural world, Kosuge’s artwork invites peace and reflection.  Each piece echoes an interest in the relationship between humans and nature, permanence and impermanence, continuity and transformation.

Born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, Kosuge first studied architecture at the Tokyo Sumida Technical School of Architecture and then went on to receive his MFA in sculpture from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1970.  He began teaching art at Portland State University in 1978, becoming a full-time professor in 1989, and after serving three years as the Chair of the Art Department, retired in 2003. His first exhibition was in San Francisco in 1970, and he has exhibited continuously ever since. Exhibitions of his work include the Oakland Art Museum, the Portland Art Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Art, and the Seattle Art Museum. Major commissions include a 5-piece sculpture for the Portland TriMet Transit Mall, a comprehensive landscape and sculpture project for Highline Community College, Des Moines, WA; and major works for the River Point Education Center, Spokane, WA; Kaiser Permanente Foundation, Vancouver, WA; the Little Tokyo Mall, Los Angeles, CA; Portland Community College, Sylvania Campus, OR; and the Washington County Justice Center, Hillsboro, OR.