- Shinoda Toko
Shinoda Toko 篠田桃紅 (born
March 28 ,1913 - ) is a world-renownedJapan ese female artist working withsumi [ink]paintings and prints. Her art merges traditionalcalligraphy with modern abstract expression. A 1983 interview inTime magazine noted that “her trail-blazing accomplishments are analogous toPicasso ’s”. Shinoda’s works had been exhibited in the Hague National Museum, theArt Institute of Chicago ,Cincinnati Art Museum and other leading museums in the world.Shinoda was born in
Manchuria where her father managed atobacco factory. Two years later, her family returned to Japan. Influenced by her father’s love ofsumi [ink] painting,calligraphy and Chinese poetry, Shinoda practicedcalligraphy since she was six.Shinoda traveled to the
United States from 1956 to 1958. During this time her works were bought byCharles Laughton and John Lewis of theModern Jazz Quartet . Shinoda also became involved in the abstract expressionist movement of the time.tyle and technique
The artist prefers her paintings and original drawings, because
sumi [ink] presents unlimited color spectrum. In printmaking, Shinoda useslithograph as her medium. Unlikewoodcut that requireschisel , oretching that requiresacid ,lithograph allows Shinoda to work directly and spontaneously on the plate with her fluid brushstroke. Shinoda’s strokes are meant to suggest images and vitality of nature. She says, “Certain forms float up in my mind’s eye. Aromas, a blowing breeze, a rain-drenched gust of wind…the air in motion, my heart in motion. I try to capture these vague, evanescent images of the instant and put them into vivid form.” Shinoda’s print editions are small, usually ranging from twelve to fifty-five, and after each edition has been pulled, she often adds a stroke ofsumi color by hand.Further reading
*Takashina, Shuji. "Okada, Shinoda, and Tsukata: Three Pioneers of Abstract Painting in 20th Century Japan". Washington: Phillips Collection, c1979.
External links
* [http://www.city.seki.gifu.jp/seki-toko/index_3.htm Shinoda Toko Gallery 篠田桃紅美術空間]
* [http://kgs-tokyo.jp/human/2001/010510.html Shinoda Toko Recent Works]
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