Kazuo Shiraga

Kazuo Shiraga

Kazuo Shiraga was a pioneering Japanese artist known for his dynamic, action painting style. After graduating from the Kyoto City University of Arts with a focus on Nihonga, he transitioned to oil painting and studied at the Osaka City Art Institute. In 1952, he co-founded Zero-kai with Akira Kanayama, Saburo Murakami, and Atsuko Tanaka, and in 1955, he joined the Gutai Art Association. Shiraga became renowned for his unique technique of painting with his feet while suspended from a rope, creating expressive and physically charged compositions. In 1971, he took Buddhist vows at Enryaku-ji Temple on Mount Hiei, marking a significant spiritual shift in his life and work.