ANDO TADAO

• ANDO TADAO, Japanese architect, born in Osaka, self-taught in architecture. He is a first-class architect and special University Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo. He opened his own design studio in 1969. He has produced numerous works in Japan and abroad, including houses, churches, and hotels, mainly using concrete. Row House in Sumiyoshi (1976), Church of Light (1989), Benesse House Museum in Naoshima (1992), The Hundred Step Garden in Awaji (2000), Nakanoshima Children’s Book Forest (2020), etc.

• relevant artists

  • TAKASAKI MOTONAO

    TAKASAKI MOTONAO, Japanese artist. He won the Newcomer's Prize at the 4th Modern Art Association Exhibition in 1954. Sympathising with the works of YOSHIHARA JIRO, SHIRAGA KAZUO and MOTONAGA SADAMASA, he became a member of the Gutai Art Association in 1966 and participated until its dissolution in 1972. Major collections: The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka, Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art.

  • MOTONAGA SADAMASA

    MOTONAGA SADAMASA, Japanese picture book artist and avant-garde artist. His wife is Etsuko Nakatsuji, a plastic artist. Taking the unknown nature as his creative source, he created experimental works expressing natural phenomena by using novel materials, such as hanging colored water in plastic bags and performances using smoke. Later, inspired by the tarashikomi technique of Japanese-style painting, she attracted attention with her fluid works in which paints were poured on canvas. In 1959, he exhibited his work at the Premio Lissone Exhibition (Italy), where he won a prize, and in 1961 had solo exhibitions at Tokyo Gallery and Jackson Mercer Gallery (New York). In 1965, he participated in the "New Japanese Paintings and Sculpture" exhibition at MoMA, New York, U.S.A. In 1966, he was awarded a prize for his work at the "Premio Lissone" exhibition in Italy. He received awards at the 6th, 7th, and 10th Contemporary Art Exhibitions of Japan, the 1983 Art and Culture Promotion Association Award, the Japan Art Grand Prize, and the Grand Prix at the Seoul International Print Exhibition; exhibited at the Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France, 1986 "Japan in the Avant-Garde"; presented "Gutai" at the MOMA and Guggenheim Museum In 2013, attracting a great deal of attention both in Japan and abroad, and in 2015, a painting measuring less than one meter sold for nearly 100 million yen at Sotheby's.　Major Collections: The Museum of Modern Art New York, Dallas Museum of Art, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, The National Museum of Art (Osaka), The National Museum of Modern Art (Kyoto), Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art (Hyogo, Japan)

  • HUGO ALEGRE

    HUGO ALEGRE, a contemporary artist from Peru, known for his work in painting, sculpture, and installation art. His creations draw inspiration from Peru's rich cultural heritage and his personal experiences, characterized by a unique style that blends tradition and modernity. His works often feature vibrant colors, textures, and symbolism, frequently addressing environmental issues and social themes.

  • SUGAI KUMI

    SUGAI KUMI, was a Western-style painter and printmaker born in Kobe, who moved to France in 1952. Having studied Japanese painting, his works were highly acclaimed in the Paris art world for their oriental exoticism. In his early years, he painted forms reminiscent of hieroglyphs, but around 1962 his style shifted dramatically to depict geometric shapes in clear, vivid colors. Known as an avid speed enthusiast, he loved driving his Porsche at high speeds. The sights that imprinted themselves on his mind and the sensations of flowing colors while traveling at over 200 kilometers per hour often translated directly into his art, taking shape as motifs and compositions brimming with a sense of velocity.

  • YOSHIHARA JIRO

    YOSHIHARA JIRO is a Japanese abstract painter and businessman. In 1954, he founded the Gutai Art Association, the leading artistic movement in the postwar Kansai region. The following year, he held the first exhibition, and until 1968, he held 21 exhibitions of Gutai art not only in Japan but also in New York and Turin, becoming a part of the international art movement. He often said not to inherit modern paintings or imitate others, but create something that no one has ever done before." His philosophy led to the creation of many artists, including SHIRAGA KAZUO and MOTONAGA SADAMASA. He is best known for his works featuring circles, such as large white circles painted on a black background. Major Collections: National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, The National Museum of Art, Osaka, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura & Hayama, Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design, Ohara Museum of Art, Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka

  • ZAO WOU-KI

    ZAO WOU-KI was a Chinese-French painter, born in Beijing. In his childhood, he studied in Nantong Jiangsu and learned painting. In 1935, he entered Hangzhou Art College and studied under Lin Fengmian. In 1948, he went to France to study and settled in France. The Western contemporary painting style and oil painting color technique of his work was excellent in the artistic expression of traditional Chinese culture, color changes, and brushstrokes, and was called "the representative of modern Western abstract painting". He was a professor at the National School of Decorative Arts in Paris which is known as École des Arts Décoratifs, and was awarded the order of chivalry of France. He held exhibitions in more than 160 locations around the world. He died on April 9, 2013 because of illness at the age of 92.

  • MATSUTANI TAKESADA

    MATSUTANI TAKESADA, Japanese contemporary artist, who became a member of Gutai Art Association in 1963. He established the technique of painting the bonded screen in black with pencil, and is active at the forefront of the world with a main section at the Venice Biennale in 2017 and a solo exhibition at the Centre Georges Pompidou in 2019.

  • 加藤文彥

  • SHINODA MORIO

    SHINODA MORIO, a sculptor born in Meguro, Tokyo, is known for his artistic philosophy of TC (Tension and Compression). He employs tense steel wires as structures in his works, allowing parts of the artwork to float and suspend in the air. His creative technique involves creating tension using geometric structures and metallic materials. He remains active in the forefront of contemporary art. The TC philosophy originated from the architectural theories of Buckminster Fuller in 1958, and Shinozaki's unique and original expression has garnered international acclaim. His exhibited works at the Venice Biennale in 1966 received high praise on the international stage.