SoWAs

加藤文彥

  • relevant artists

    • MOCHIDA SOSHO

      MOCHIDA SOSHO, born in Tokyo, Japan. Contemporary artist, printmaker, and professor emeritus at Osaka University of Arts. His artistic activities are centered in Osaka, where he incorporates a variety of styles, including three-dimensional modeling and art photography. He also produces prints, including recent "branding" works on felt, and taught at Osaka University of Arts (formerly Naniwa University of Arts) from 1960 to early 2000, where he helped establish a printmaking course. Since 1975,he has been exhibiting his works in the "Ge Exhibition," a leading contemporary art group in the Kansai area. He and the other main member MOTONAGA SADAMASA are still active in Japan area and has made a significant contribution to the development of print art in Japan in the Contemporary period. Major collections include: The National Museum of Art, Osaka; Nakanoshima Museum of Contemporary Art, Osaka; Osaka Contemporary Art Center; Museum of Modern Art, Hyogo; Osaka University of Arts Museum; Minneapolis Institute of Arts; Hongik University Museum of Modern Art; and Shanghai Long Museum.

    • UEMAE CHIYU

      Chiyuu Uemae was born in 1920 in Kyoto. After studying Western-style painting on his own, he studied under Jiro Yoshihara, and in 1954, he participated in the formation of the "Gutai Art Association" with 15 young artists from the Kansai region who had joined him under Yoshihara. After the formation of the Gutai Art Association, he continued to produce works that consistently pursued non-figurative (abstract) art. 1990 "Avant-garde Japan: The Gutai Group in the 1950s" (National Museum of Modern Art, Rome); 2012 "Painting the Void, 1949-1962" (Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles); 2013 solo exhibition "The Armory Show" (Pier 92/94, New York) (omitted) Major Collections: Nerima Art Museum; Tokushima Prefectural Museum of Modern Art; Fukui Prefectural Art Museum; Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka.

    • KAWABATA MINORU

      KAWABATA MINORU, born in Tokyo in 1911. In 1953, he co-founded the Japan Abstract Art Club with YOSHIHARA JIRO and YAMAGUCHI TAKEO. In 1956, he participated in Exposition Internationale de l'Art Actuel, driven by MICHEL TAPIÉ, alongside artists like DUBUFFET and DE KOONING, representing Japan.In 1958, he moved to New York, and in the following year, he participated in the 2nd Guggenheim International Exhibition, showcasing his artwork "Rhythm - Tea" and receiving the individual Honorable Mention award. Subsequently, he signed with the Betty Parsons Gallery, renowned for promoting prominent post-war abstract expressionist artists like JACKSON POLLOCK and MARK ROTHKO. This marked KAWABATA's entry into the mainstream of New York artists. At the same time, he co-organized exhibitions with Japanese artists who had also moved to the United States, such as KUSAMA YAYOI and OKADA KENZO. In 1962, he exhibited six works at the 31st Venice Biennale. In 1974, he held a solo exhibition at the Everson Museum of Art in New York, followed by a large-scale exhibition at the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Modern Art the following year. He continued to create his work in both Japan and the United States, establishing himself as one of the representative Japanese artists of the post-World War II era. His artistic style began with abstract expressionism in the 1950s. Shortly after moving to the United States, he awakened to calligraphic techniques, resulting in unique brushwork and the incorporation of multiple colors into his works. This showcased his exploration of a new spiritual realm through art. Throughout his career, he consistently worked to crystallize his own psychological experiences into visual elements on canvas. His rich use of color, emerging forms, and striking contrasts left a highly emotional impression, expressing his unique inner world through abstract colors.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

    • 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.

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