Kikuchi Kazuo

Kikuchi Kazuo ( Japanese 菊池 一 雄 ; born May 3, 1908 in Kyōto ; died April 30, 1985 ) was a Japanese sculptor during the Shōwa period .

life and work

Kikuchi's father was the well-known painter Kikuchi Keigetsu , his grandfather Kikuchi Hōbun (菊池 芳 文; 1862-1918) was also a painter. Kikuchi went to Tōkyō in 1926 and after completing his advanced training at the 1st old school (第一 高等学校), he began studying at the Faculty of Humanities at Tōkyō University with a focus on history. In the last years of his school days, however, he had already started to study sculpture under Fujikawa Yūzō . In 1930 his works “Karisto-kun” (カ リ ス ト 君) and “Torso” were accepted at the 17th exhibition of the Nika-kai (二 科 会) artist group.

After Fujikawa's death in 1935, he joined other Fujikawa's students who founded an association called "Shin Chōso Kyōkai" (新 彫塑 協会). At their first exhibition in 1936 he exhibited his sculpture "Sitzende Frau" (女 坐像, Onna zazō). In the same year, Kikuchi went to France and continued his education under Charles Despiau . He exhibited his sculpture “Greek” (ギ リ シ ャ の 男, Girisha no otoko) and other works in the Salon d'Automne , then returned in 1939 to Japan. In 1941 he became a member of the "New Creative Community" (新 製作 協会, Shin Sesaku kyōkai).

In 1949, Kikuchi won the 1st “Mainichi Fine Arts” award with his “youth” (青年 像, Seinen-zō) and in the following year his stele was erected in Nagasaki in memory of Pierre Loti (ピ エ ー ル ・ ロ チ 記念 碑). His book "Rodin", which appeared in 1950, was awarded the Mainichi Culture Prize. From 1952 to 1975 he was a professor at the Tōkyō Geijutsu Daigaku Art School .

Kikuchi's sculptures are characterized by careful observation and elegant style. Other well-known works are "Peace Group" (平和 の 群像, Heiwa no gunzō) at Miyakesaka in Tokyo, a group of three women on a high pedestal, the "Freedom Group" (自由 の 群像, Heiwa no gunzō), a group of three men , “Sitting” (座, Za) and “Child of the Atomic Bomb” (原 爆 の 子 の 像).

Remarks

1. ↑ The model for the girl on the monument, which he created from 1955 to 1958, was Sadako Sasaki, who died young .

literature

• Tazawa, Yutaka: Kikuchi Kazuo . In: Biographical Dictionary of Japanese Art. Kodansha International, 1981. ISBN 0-87011-488-3 .

Web links

• CV Kikuchi Japanese

Japanese name: As is common in Japan, the family name comes before the first name in this article . Thus, Kikuchi is the family name, Kazuo the first name.