Yuko Nii

Yuko Nii (born 1942) is an artist and philanthropist. She studied (1961–63) English and American Literature at Aoyama Gakuin University, Tokyo, Japan. In 1963 she transferred to Macalaster College, St. Paul, Minnesota as a scholarship student, and earned her BFA. in 1965. From 1966 she attended Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York, as a fellowship student and earned her MFA in painting in 1969. Her creative activities include painting, printmaking, graphic design, stage set, costume and fashion design. She distinguished herself also as a writer in journalism, poetry, fiction, essays and philosophy, publishing a book with Terrance Lindall, entitled BLUE EYED SATORI, and writing for newspapers and magazines.

Yuko is listed in Marquis Who’s Who in America – 60th Edition 2006, in Marquis Who’s Who of American Women – 26th Edition 2007, Marquis Who’s Who in the World – 24th Edition 2007.

Nii's work has been shown at numerous museums, art galleries and universities in the U.S.A. and Japan, including one person shows at The Berkshire Museum, Massachusetts, Fairleigh Dickinson University, NJ, International Monetary Fund Washington DC; Ginza Kaiga-kan, Tokyo; and including many group shows in such venues as, the Brooklyn Museum, New York, The Bronx Museum, New York, the Hudson River Museum, New York, the Parish Museum, Southhampton, New York, The World Trade Center, New York, Lincoln Center, New York, and The United Nations General Assembly Building, New York.

Nii's works are in public and private collections including those of the Cincinnati Art Museum, The Berkshire Museum, The Alternative Museum, Equitable Assurance Collection, JP Morgan Chase Bank Collection, Bankers Trust, Security Pacific Bank, N.L. Industries, The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Bony Corp., Nihon Davis Standard Corp., and many outstanding public and private collections.

Nii's works are included in a number of publications, including Looking at Landscapes (Criterion Press) and she has been reviewed often in publications including the New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, and many newspapers. She has appeared on several television and radio programs here and in Japan.

Nii was an advisory panelist for the 1978 CAPS Grants under the Cultural Council Foundation of New York City and JPMorgan Chase 2007 Regrant Program. And she was twice (in 1981 and 1983) an artist in residence at Yaddo in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Nii’s “Friends and Mentors” belong to an established circle of the international art world, and include Jack Lenor Larsen (Textile Designer), Isamu Noguchi (Sculptor), Toshiko Takaezu (Ceramist), Ansei Uchima (Print Maker and Painter), Toshiko Uchima ( Collagist and Box Assemblage Artist), Esteban Vicente (Painter and Collagist), Siah Armajani (Conceptual Artist), Hillary Harris (Film Maker), Max Newhouse (New Media Artist), Kenneth Noland (Painter), Max Roach (Jazz Percussionist), Leon Kirchner (Composer) and many more.

In 1996, Nii founded the not for profit Williamsburg Art & Historical Center (WAH Center) in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York which is housed in the Kings County Savings Bank Building, which is in the National Register of Historic Places and a New York City Landmark.

In 1998, Howard Golden, then Brooklyn Borough President named Nii Brooklyn’s “Women of the Year” for her “unparalleled devotion to her art and commitment to the artist community of Williamsburg/Greenpoint.” And he said that the WAH Center’s activities have resulted in “tremendous cultural & economic activity throughout the northern Brooklyn area, “ an area recently designated as an “historic district” and “economic development zone.”

In 2001, Governor George Pataki named Nii one of New York State's "women of the year" and called her a “Woman of Excellence with Vision and Courage.” He also congratulated Nii on turning the historic Kings County Savings Bank into a multipurpose art center that serves the needs of artists and art aficionados of diverse backgrounds.

In 2003, Borough President Marty Markowitz gave Nii the Betty Smith Arts Award for her outstanding achievements and contributions to the arts in Brooklyn. And also City Councilwoman Tracy Boylan] gave her the Outstanding Citizen award.

In 2008, Borough President Marty Markowitz named Nii as one of the six Asians “who provide dynamic leadership and demonstrate outstanding commitment to the betterment of our community and the Borough of Brooklyn,” and gave her the “Asian Cultural Award” along with Carol Enseki, President of the Brooklyn Children's Museum.