Profile

The artist at work in his atelier
1960s
Image provided by the Amagasaki Cultural Foundation

Shiraga Kazuo: Biography

1924
Born in Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture.
1942
Entered Kyoto City Technical School of Painting (now Kyoto City University of Arts) in the Nihonga (Japanese-style painting) department.
1948
Graduated from Kyoto City Technical School of Art (renamed in April 1945) and switched to Western-style painting.
1950
Debuted at the Shinseisaku-ha Kyokai (now Shinseisaku Kyokai) exhibition.
1952
Formed Zero Society with Kanayama Akira, Murakami Saburo, Tanaka Atsuko and others.
1954
Painted with his feet for the first time, beginning “foot painting.”
1955
Became a member of the Gutai Art Association, led by Yoshihara Jiro, along with fellow Zero Society members Kanayama, Murakami, and Tanaka. Afterwards he attempted experimental three-dimensional works and performances in parallel with his paintings, using Gutai exhibitions as his stage.
1958
Signed contract with art critic Michel Tapié, advocate of the “art informel” movement, to send his paintings to Europe.
1965
Began using a squeegee to create paintings.
1971
Interest in esoteric Buddhism intensified, and he became a monk of the Tendai sect at Enryaku-ji on Mt. Hiei.
1972
Gutai Art Association disbanded after the death of Yoshihara Jiro. Religious colours began to appear in his works.
1974
Completed 35-day shidokegyo Buddhist training at Enryaku-ji on Mt. Hiei. Afterwards, he produced many enso (circular form often associated with Buddhism) works using a squeegee.
1978
Returned to foot painting, and he hewed to this method in his later years. In contrast to his previous foot paintings, which was often bloody and brutal, his canvases became dominated by a stripped-down freshness and a heightened spirituality.
1987
Received the Hyogo Prefecture Culture Prize.
1999
Received the Regional Cultural Merit Award from the Minister of Education.
2002
Received the Osaka Arts Prize.
2008
Died in Amagasaki City.