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SHOZO SHIMAMOTO SHOZO SHIMAMOTO

SHOZO SHIMAMOTO

SHOZO SHIMAMOTO
SHOZO SHIMAMOTO

Shozo Shimamoto, one of the founding members of the　Gutai group, is acknowledged as the individual who coined the term 'Gutai.’ As an artist, Shimamoto has always demonstrated an innovative and pioneering mindset. The group published a newsletter called Gutai, intending to promote its activities on the world stage. They posted it to various people involved in art around the world to communicate with them. This movement later became called 'Mail art', where artists could send their works to each other beyond national borders.

Above all, Shimamoto's art is characterised by large-scale dynamism. For example, the international art community recognises Shimamoto for his cannon painting technique, which involves shooting paintballs using handmade cannons and for his bottle-throwing paintings. Shimamoto's art is essentially the embodiment of the spirit of Gutai - a movement that drew international attention to contemporary Japanese art - as it captures the very essence of 'the trace of action.’

 

ABOUT GUTAI »

ARTWORKS

Untitled SHIM-85, SHOZO SHIMAMOTO, 2010Acrylic on kimono fabric53.1 × 45.7cm
Untitled SHIM-85
SHOZO SHIMAMOTO
Price: Private
Untitled SHIM-127, SHOZO SHIMAMOTO, 1965Sheet, Paper, Mixed media24.3 × 27.6cm
Untitled SHIM-127
SHOZO SHIMAMOTO
Price: Private
See all artworks

NEWS

50 Years Since the End | The Gutai Art Association as seen at the National Museum of Art, Osaka
50 Years Since the End | The Gutai Art Association as seen at the National Museum of Art, Osaka

January 4, 2023
ART NEWS

50 Years Since the End | The Gutai Art Association Revives at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka
50 Years Since the End | The Gutai Art Association Revives at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka

December 27, 2022
ART NEWS

ARTICLES

“Into the Unknown World — GUTAI: Differentiation and Integration” at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art and the National Museum of Art
“Into the Unknown World — GUTAI: Differentiation and Integration” at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art and the National Museum of Art

October 19, 2022
Osaka, Japan

The Gentle Genius Artist: Shozo Shimamoto's Charm as a Human Being
The Gentle Genius Artist: Shozo Shimamoto's Charm as a Human Being
GUTAI STILL ALIVE 2015 vol.1
18/35
Shozo Shimamoto, the Only Gutai Artist who did Performances
Shozo Shimamoto, the Only Gutai Artist who did Performances
GUTAI STILL ALIVE 2015 vol.1
17/35
Art Historian Kunio Motoe’s Take On the “Gutai Art Association”
Art Historian Kunio Motoe’s Take On the “Gutai Art Association”
GUTAI STILL ALIVE 2015 vol.1
01/35

MAJOR EXHIBITIONS, COLLECTIONS

COLLECTIONS

Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo / Fukuoka Prefectural Museum of Art / Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art / Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art / Osaka City Museum of Modern Art / Osaka Prefectural Contempoary Art Collection / Nara Prefectural Museum of Art / Takamatsu City Museum of Art / Ashiya City Museum of Art & History / Miyagi Museum of Art / Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art / National Museum of Art Osaka / Tate Modern (London) / National Gallery of Modern and Contempoary Art (Rome) / Fondazione Morra (Naples) / Pompidou Centre (Paris) / Museum of Communication (Bern) / Ca'Pesaro International Gallery of Modern Art (Venice)

 

IMAGES

Performance in Napoli, Italy, 2006
Performance in Bologna, Italy, 2008
Vento d'Oriente, Certosa di San Giacomo, Italy, 2008
Performance in ReggioEmilia, Italy, 2012
"A", 1955, oil on canvas, board, 255.5 x 183.0 cm
Untitiled, 1967, enamel paint, 116.0 x 72.3 cm
Untitled, 1981, mixedmedia on canvas, 213.5 x 195.0 cm
Untitled, 2011, acrylic on canvas, 208.5 x 150.0 cm
Skinhead Art, paint on skin

BIOGRAPHY

1928
Born in Osaka, Japan
1954
Becomes a founding member of the Gutai Movement, and participates in the most important  successive Gutai exhibitions.
1955
At the first Gutai exhibition he shows a revolutionary work to be enjoyed by the body : `Please  walk on here`
1956
Shows a painting realized by using a home-made cannon, at the Outdoor Gutai Art Exhibition
1957
Shows his pioneering video and music concrete works at the first `Gutai Art on Stage`  exhibition
1970
Art producer for 1000 brides of the Artist`s Union group Participates in the Mail Art Project involving 60 countries, becoming one of the chief  representative
1993
Invited to the 45th Venice Biennale as a member of Gutai
1994
Invited to exhibit at Guggenheim Museum, New York
1996
Promotes numerous pacifist activities since meeting Bern Porter, the physician  Who made the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima
1997
He is the only Japanese artists since the Meiji Restoration to have his photo  included in Art History, published by America Albums
1998
Selected as one of the first four best artists of the world from the post-war ,  Along with Jackson Pollock, John Cage and Lucio Fontana on occasion of the `Out of Actions` show held at MOCA
1999
Awarded with the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon
2000
Large scale performance in Dijon sponsored by Felissimo Museum and Unesco
2001
Invited to the London Japan Year, two works are included in the Tate Gallery  and Tate Modern
2003
Invited to the 50th Venice Biennale, Extra 50
2004-11
Many exhibitions and performances in Europe, mostly in Italy, including `Nyotaku` performance at Ca` Pesaro International Gallery, Venice A performance in Trevi where he throws paint from a helicopter, and Zonezero show in  Dusseldorf

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