Yuzo Saeki "Emerging from the Urban Landscape"

Tokyo Station Gallery

Finished

Artists

Yuzo Saeki

Yuzo Saeki (1898-1928) was a painter who spent his short life in three cities: Osaka, Tokyo, and Paris. Almost 125 years after his birth, Saeki’s works still radiate a strong luster that cannot help but stir the hearts of those who see them.

Born in Osaka in 1898, Yuzo Saeki graduated from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts at the age of 25 and left for Paris that same year. During his first two-year stay in Paris, he was influenced by Maurice Utrillo, Vincent Van Gogh, and others, and his work underwent a major transformation. At that time, Saeki was 29 years old. Upon his return to Paris, Saeki continued to work furiously, as if possessed by something, but his tuberculosis worsened and he died a year later in a hospital in the suburbs of Paris.

Paris was a special city for Saeki. The massive stone streets, the walls of buildings covered with posters, and the avenues lined with plane trees, cafes, churches, and even public toilets provided an opportunity for him to create masterpieces. It was also in Paris that he met many painters and their works, which strongly inspired him. Meanwhile, Osaka, the city of his birth, and Tokyo, where he spent his student days and temporary return to Japan, were also important cities that nurtured Saeki's art. This exhibition traces Saeki's footsteps in these three cities and examines the process by which his art was born.

Schedule

Jan 21 (Sat) 2023-Apr 2 (Sun) 2023