Biography

Sculptor. Born in Fukuoka Prefecture. After WWII, became an apprentice to wood sculptor Chodo Tominaga. In 1955, was awarded the New Artist Prize in the Shinseisaku Exhibition. In 1960, he participated in the Venice Biennale. For over forty years thereafter, he based his creative activity in Italy. He initially produced figurative sculptures, but when he moved to Italy, he changed his style to a more abstract expression. In 1978, our museum was the first public art museum to hold his solo exhibition. In 1993, he was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon from the Japanese government. In 1996, he installed his monument “Nanotsu Okan” at the Port of Hakata. In 2011, his solo exhibition was held at Dazaifu Tenmangu Museum. In 2022, a large-scale solo exhibition was held at Fukuoka Prefectural Museum of Art.