Re: Tomio Kinoshita

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Posted by John Fiorillo on October 01, 1999 at 13:43:01:

In Reply to: Re: Tomio Kinoshita posted by Carol Riggles on October 01, 1999 at 00:19:09:

Carol,

Kinoshita is Japanese, born in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture. He graduated from the Nagoya School of Industrial Arts in 1941, but is self-taught as a printmaker. I do not know about the artists who might have influenced him, but I suspect it would have been a combination of Japanese and Western artists. Some have said his style reminds them of 20th C. German influences, but I am not entirely convinced that such art played a significant role, though it might have been part of the mix. I do not know whether he was familiar with the Easter Island figures. His choice of masks supports a metaphysical approach toward the expression the human condition: the masks and the universal geometry of KinoshitaТs style can easily represent "everyman" while his wonderful carving techniques produce variable emotional states within that context. It is possible that Japanese theater such as СNЇТ and its use of masks had some impact on his art, but I cannot confirm that idea. He is quoted in MichenerТs "The Modern Japanese Print" (p. 34) in a statement about his print СKao 3Т ("Faces no. 3"): "A full title Е would be СFaces of the Weak Courageously Attempting to Move Forward in a World of Darkness. Е In combinations of faces Е I am trying to express the sufferings of society, of man, of mankind, of all human beings. Е". Obviously Kinoshita had some rather lofty concerns that he wished to express in his art.

John

[In response to Carol's msg: "I had already visited your wonderful website, and read the info you included on Kinoshita. I was hoping something new would pop up. Some of the questions I have are: Is he American, and if so, was he born in this country. Is he still in this country? Where did he create his art? Which artists influenced him the most? Why masks? Is he referencing Easter Island in any way? Is there anything else published about his work? I could go on and on.....Thanks, Carol"]

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Re: Tomio Kinoshita Carol Riggles 10:03:49 10/04/99 (0)

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: Carol, : Carol, : Kinoshita is Japanese, born in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture. He graduated from the Nagoya School of Industrial Arts in 1941, but is self-taught as a printmaker. I do not know about the artists who might have influenced him, but I suspect it would have been a combination of Japanese and Western artists. Some have said his style reminds them of 20th C. German influences, but I am not entirely convinced that such art played a significant role, though it might have been part of the mix. I do not know whether he was familiar with the Easter Island figures. His choice of masks supports a metaphysical approach toward the expression the human condition: the masks and the universal geometry of KinoshitaТs style can easily represent "everyman" while his wonderful carving techniques produce variable emotional states within that context. It is possible that Japanese theater such as СNЇТ and its use of masks had some impact on his art, but I cannot confirm that idea. He is quoted in MichenerТs "The Modern Japanese Print" (p. 34) in a statement about his print СKao 3Т ("Faces no. 3"): "A full title Е would be СFaces of the Weak Courageously Attempting to Move Forward in a World of Darkness. Е In combinations of faces Е I am trying to express the sufferings of society, of man, of mankind, of all human beings. Е". Obviously Kinoshita had some rather lofty concerns that he wished to express in his art. : John : [In response to Carol's msg: "I had already visited your wonderful website, and read the info you included on Kinoshita. I was hoping something new would pop up. Some of the questions I have are: Is he American, and if so, was he born in this country. Is he still in this country? Where did he create his art? Which artists influenced him the most? Why masks? Is he referencing Easter Island in any way? Is there anything else published about his work? I could go on and on.....Thanks, Carol"]

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