Ÿ |
The early years`
Born in Aomori City on September 5th 1903, Shiko was the third son of a
black-
smith, Kokichi, and his wife Sada. Shiko entered Nagashima Elementary School
in
April of 1910. By about the third grade he began to develop an interest
in kite art and
drew kite pictures for his classmates. On one occasion in sixth grade while
running
to see an airplane make a crash landing in a rice field, he happened to
fall at the edge
of a brook. Right in front of him was a white blossom of "Omodaka"
and he was struck
by its beauty.
After finishing elementary school Shiko joined his elder brother at their
father's
blacksmith business. At the age of 17 he was employed by the city court
and took
advantage of his new schedule to visit Gappo Park in the early morning
and practise
sketching. It was around this time, also, that he was deeply impressed
by a reproduc-
tion of Van Gogh's gSunflowersh, given to him by his teacher, Tadaaki
Ono.
@ |
Ÿ |
Tokyo and his art studies`
In 1924, at the age of 21, Shiko made up his mind and went to Tokyo. While
scratching a living by repairing shoes and selling "natto", he
continued to study art. In
October 1928, after five years in Tokyo, he had his first picture, an oil
painting called
gZatsuenhaccepted for the 9th Imperial Exhibition.
@ |
Ÿ |
A change of direction-the woodblock print`
Shiko's interest in woodblock print art began even before his oil painting
gZatsuenh
was accepted for the exhibition. Moved by Sumio Kawakami's gHatsunatsu
no
kazeh,Shiko began his studies of the medium by visiting Un'ichi Hiratuka,
who had
been introduced to him by Kihachiro Shimozawa, a friend from Shiko's hometown.
In 1929, four of Shiko's woodblock works were accepted for the Shunyokai
Exhibition and in the following year all four pieces he submitted were
accepted for
the Kokugakai Exhibition. This convinced Shiko to focus on woodblock print
art.
In April 1936, his woodblock series gYamato-shi Uruwashihwas displayed
in the
Kokugakai Exhibition and subsequently purchased by the Japan Folk Art Museum,
which earned Shiko the acknowedgement of Muneyoshi Yanagi,Kanjiro Kawai
and
Shoji Hamada.
@ |
Ÿ |
International acclaim comes to Shiko Munakata`
In April 1952, Shiko's work was awarded a special prize for excellence
at the 2nd
International Woodblock Print Exhibition held in Lugano, Switzerland. Entering
works such as gShaka Judai DeshihShiko took the top prize in July 1955
in San Paulo
Biennial. The following June he received the International Woodblock Print
Award
at the Venice Biennial for works like gRyuryoku Kakoshoh,thus firmly
establishing
himself as a world class artist.
Traveling overseas in 1959, Shiko lectured at various American universities.
While
in Europe he visited Van Gogh's grave.
@ |
Ÿ |
The artist and his hometown`
Shiko Munakata felt an unusually strong love for his hometown. His heart
was
captured not only by the kite art and nebuta paintings,but also by the
scenery and
customs of the area. He offered the following words of encouragement to
local
youngsters,gSet your sights pure and high and step out into the wide world
of your
dreams and hopesh. These words are engraved on a stone monument in Gappo
park.
On February 17th 1969, Shiko Munakata was named the first Honorary Citizen
by
the City of Aomori and in November of the following year was the first
person from
Aomori Prefecture to receive the Order of Cultural Merits from the national
government.
On September 13th 1975, at the age of 72, Shiko Munakata passed away in
Tokyo.
His grave, known as gSeiminhi,his located in Aomori's Sannai Cemetery
and is
fashioned after Van Gogh's.
@ |
Ÿ |
The wide range of his endeavors`
In addition to his woodblock prints, Shiko left many masterpieces of painting,
calligraphy, poetry and the like. He also authored a number of books, such
as
gMunakata Shiko Hanga Taisakuh,gBangokudohand gWadaba Gohho ni naruhD |
|