biografía de Yasuo KUNIYOSHI (1889-1953)

Lugar de nacimiento: Okayama, Japan

Lugar de defunción: NYC

Direcciones: Came to U.S. in 1906, settled in California, 1906-10; NYC/Woodstock, NY

Profesión: Painter, lithograper, teacher, photographer

Estudios: Los Angeles Sch. Art & Design, 1908-10; NAD, with Robert Henri, 1912; Independent Sch. of Art, 1914-16; ASL, with K.H. Miller, 1916-20.

Exposiciones: S. Indp. A., 1917-18, 1920-21; Daniel Gal., 1922 (1st solo); Salons of Am., 1922-36; Corcoran Gal. biennials, 1930-57 (12 times); AIC; WMAA biennial, 1923-53; PAFA, 1933-53 frequently (1934, Temple gold medal; 1944, prize); LACMA, 1934 (prize); GGE 1939; CI, 1939 (prize), 1944 (prize); AIC, 1945 (Harris medal); VMFA; La Tausca Pearls Exhib., 1947; WMAA, 1948 (retrospective); MMA, 1950; Venice Biennale, 1952 (retrospective); Tokyo-MoMA, 1954; Boston Univ., 1961; "NYC WPA Art" at Parsons School Design, 1977. Special awards: Guggenheim Fellowship, 1935.

Asociaciones: An Am. Group; Hon. Assoc., NIAL; AEA (founder); Am. Artists Cong.; Am. Soc. PS &G; Woodstock AA.

Obra: MMA; MoMA; CI; WMAA; BM; AIC; BMA; Newark Mus.; Albright Art Gal.; Columbus Gal. FA; VMFA; Univ. Nebraska; AGAA; Univ. Arizona; Santa Barbara Mus. Art; Portland Art Mus.; PMG; Encyclopaedia Britannica; Detroit Inst. Art; Cranbrook Acad. Art; Nelson Gal. Art; Wichita Art Mus.; Walker Art Center; Woodstock AA

Comentarios: Kuniyoshi immigrated to the US in 1906, and by 1918 was painting landscapes under J.F. Carlson (see entry) and Goltz (see entry) in Woodstock. In later summers in Ogunquit, ME, he discovered American folk paintings and consequently developed a style that combined elements of folk, Japanese and modernist art. He took up photography in the 1920s but continued to paint, creating works of humor and fantasy. Upon returning from Paris in 1925, his work became more representational and he produced evocative still lifes and moody studies of women. Kuniyoshi studied lithography during a trip to Paris in 1928 and made a visit to Japan in 1931. During the mid-1930s, he worked for the graphics division of the WPA-FAP. A Guggenheim fellowship allowed him to visit Japan and Mexico in 1935. WWII was a painful time in his life, being considered an enemy alien though he had lived in the U.S. for 35 years. This is mainfested in the somber note of his later work. Teaching: ASL, 1933, NYC; New Sch. Soc. Res., 1936.

Fuentes: WW53; WW47; Woodstock's Art Heritage, 104-105; Baigell, Dictionary; 300 Years of American Art, 833; New York City WPA Art, 54 (w/repro.); Woodstock AA; Falk, Exh. Record Series.