OKAMOTO Tarô 岡本太郎
(1911 – 1996)
Japanese artist influenced by abstract art and surrealism | 1911 born in Kawasaki | 1929 studies oil painting at “Tōkyō Geijutsu Daigaku” | 1930 settles in Paris | 1931 proclaims “Neoconcretism” as an art movement | 1932 turns to abstract art under Picasso’s influence | becomes member of “Abstraction-Création” | 1938 studies ethnology with French sociologist; participates in international exhibition of surrealists in Paris | 1940 returns to Japan | 1942 drafted into the military | 1946 returns from war, founds all his work destroyed | 1948 founds avatgarde group Yoru no kai (“Evening Society”) | 1954 joins the “Venice Biennale”; honoured by French “Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” | 1970 “Tower of the Sun” becomes symbol of Expo ’70 | 1991 donates important works to Kawasaki City | 1996 died
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