Tetsuya Ishida

In 2009, his family was awarded the purple Japanese Medal of Honor, a decoration reserved for those who have contributed to academic and artistic developments, improvements and accomplishments.

In 2008, the same painting was put up in Christie's Asian Contemporary Art auction. It was estimated that "Untitled 2001" would be sold for HK$2,000,000-HK$3,000,000 (US$259,231-US$388,847). It was sold for HK$2,900,000 (US$375,885).

In 2007, Ishida's family donated 21 of Ishida's works to the Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art (静岡県立美術館|Shizuoka-kenritsu Bijutsukan) in their hometown as a permanent exhibition.

On May 23, 2005, he was instantly killed by a train at a level crossing in Machida, Tokyo. He was 31 years old.

Since his death in 2005, a large number of unpublished works have been uncovered in his home, which brings the estimated total of paintings he produced during his ten-year career as an artist to 186.

From 1997 to 2005 he won a growing following, a number of awards and exhibitions, and positive praise of his works, which enabled him to work full-time as an artist until his death.

Ishida entered Musashino Art University where he majored in Visual Communication Design. He graduated in 1996. Ishida's parents, unhappy about his career choice, refused to provide financial support during his university period. Ishida recalled this with amusement in an interview.

Tetsuya Ishida was born in Yaizu, Shizuoka, the youngest of four sons. His father was a member of parliament and his mother a housewife. He graduated from Yaizu Central High School in 1992. Ishida stated in interviews that it was during this period that his parents and school principal put pressure on him to thrive academically and develop a career as a teacher or chemist. This experience later appeared in some of his paintings that explore the society's expectations of youths.

Ishida and film director Isamu Hirabayashi, a friend from his university days, formed a multimedia company to support their work together as collaborators on film/art fusion projects. Facing economic difficulties during Japan's 1990s recession, their joint venture shifted to become a graphic design company. Ishida left the company to develop his own career as a solo artist.

Tetsuya Ishida (石田 徹也 , Ishida Tetsuya, June 16, 1973 – May 23, 2005) was a Japanese painter, best known for his surreal portrayal of contemporary Japanese life. He died from a possible suicide in 2005 where he was struck by a train at a level crossing.

In 2006 at Christie's Hong Kong "Asian Contemporary Art" auction, Christie's pre-auction sale estimate of the late Ishida's painting "Untitled 2001" (oil on canvas 130.5 x 190.3 cm (51 1/4 x 75 inches)), which was listed as lot 496, was HK$60,000 - HK$80,000 (US$7,745-US$10,326). On November 26, however, "Untitled 2001" was sold for HK$780,000 (US$100,681).