Taro Okamoto started his career as a ‘western-style’ painter, but the subjects of his paintingsdiffered greatly from those commonly used by other western-style artists. This is because he did not use any of the usual western-style genres, such as landscapes, portraits, still-lifes or nudes.

So what did Taro paint? Unfortunately, it is impossible to say what his paintings depict simply by looking at them. However, one motif is clear. That is ‘eyes.’ Taro’s paintings always contain eyes. Moreover, a lot of them possess multiple eyes.

We do not know anything specific, but what can be said beyond all doubt is that he painted ‘living things,’ ‘life.’ Taro Okamoto was an artist who painted life.

In particular, one subject that appears repeatedly is that of ‘confronting eyes.’ Two ‘lives’ conversing, glaring and laughing together. Then suddenly, the multiple eyes are filled with life, crowding together to glare at the viewer.

For this exhibition we have collected works depicting confrontational living things, to providean overview of the genre.

How about it? Would you like to try to confront ‘Taro Okamoto’s eyes’ that are filled with life?

 

Akiomi Hirano

Director,

Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum

Cooperation: Hiroshi Kurisaki