Artists Press Exhibitions Events Education
Artists
Artists Represented by The October Gallery
Anatsui, El
Burroughs, William S
Cohen, Ira
Foley, Fiona
Friedlander, Paul
Glover, Ablade
Gutsa, Tapfuma
Gysin, Brion
Hazoumè, Romuald
Hobson, Samantha
Tajammul
Jegede, E. Taiwo
Koraïchi, Rachid
Lalouschek, Elisabeth
Massoudy, Hassan
Lamothe, Frantz
Namok, Rosella
Okore, Nnenna
Owusu-Ankomah
Quenum, Gérard
Rimondi, Francesco
Shawa, Laila
Sinzogan, Julien
Wijdan
Wilde, Gerald
Williams, Aubrey
Xu, Huang
Xu, Zhongmin

Yoshida, Kenji

Zulu, Sandile

Kenji Yoshida (1924-2009)
( Japan )

kenji yoshidaclick to go to our book storeArtists' Statement

I paint to tell people the importance of Inochi to Heiwa or Life and Peace. My honourable professor, Furukido Masaru, once told me: “Yoshida, don’t take up a rifle, take up painting”. During the Pacific War, Mr. Furukido refused to take up arms and spent the rest of his life instructing others in the Pacifist cause. He died among the Vietnamese.

Against his will I became a soldier. I spent days in meditation on Life and Death, witnessing the death of many of my companions and civilians. After the war, I was still alive, and, when I thought about how I should live and what I should do, the lesson my professor once gave me came back to me.

What people consider most important is Life and Peace. War is the most horrible act that destroys them. War should not exist. The only way to build Peace and to give importance to Life consists in giving people mutual confidence to discuss these two values and to try to make them become real. I understood the teaching of my master: “Yoshida don’t take up a rifle, take up painting” as my own mission from the gods, given to me at the same time as life itself.

Every morning and every evening I reflect with remorse on my own insufficiencies, praying for the souls of victims that wars produce all around the world. In accordance with my professor’s words, I want to transmit my ideas though my painting, as best I can.

Life brightens most when Peace occurs.
Peace is supreme beauty.

Kenji Yoshida 2007
Translated by Junko Abe

photo: Jonathan greet

Exhibitions

Kenji Yoshida - A Celebration of Life
Inochi To Heiwa (Life and Peace)
Life Force - New Works By Kenji Yoshida


La Vie
KY210
(RESERVED)

La Vie
KY213

La Vie
KY229
(SOLD)

La Vie
KY221


La Vie
KY220

La Vie
KY209
(RESERVED)

La Vie
KY214

La Vie
KY215


La Vie
KY224

La Vie
KY225
(RESERVED)

La Vie
KY216

La Vie
KY228
(SOLD)


La Vie
KY226

La Vie
KY208

La Vie
KY207

La Vie
KY278
(RESERVED)


La Vie
KY217

La Vie
KY223

La Vie
KY219

La Vie
KY222


La Vie
KY218

La Vie (2 panels)
KY169
(RESERVED)

La Vie
KY171

La Vie
KY170


La Vie
KY230
(RESERVED)

La Vie
KY211

La Vie
KY212
(RESERVED)

La Vie
KY227
(RESERVED)


Inochi To Heiwa (Life and Peace)
KY115

Inochi To Heiwa (Life and Peace)
KY128

Inochi To Heiwa (Life and Peace)
KY136

Inochi To Heiwa (Life and Peace)
KY111


Inochi To Heiwa (Life and Peace)
KY129
(RESERVED)

Inochi To Heiwa (Life and Peace)
KY138
(RESERVED)

La Vie
KY105

La Vie
KY160


La Vie
KY101

La Vie
KY166

La Vie
KY200

La Vie
KYLife5


La Vie
KYLife1
     


Croix dans la Coeur
KY260

Explorateur
KY267

Priére
KY265

Doctrine de Bouddha
KY266


Infini
KY259

Deux Vies
KY261

La Vie
KY262
(SOLD)

Clé de la Vie
KY263


Untitled
KY255

Microcosme (1)
KY256
(SOLD)

Méditation (2)
KY257

Vie Eternelle
KY258


La Vie
KY250

Untitled
KY251

Untitled
KY252

La Vie
KY254
(SOLD)


La Vie (Plenitude)
KY246

La Vie (Perfection)
KY247
(SOLD)

Untitled
KY248

Untitled
KY249


Untitled
KY242

La Vie
KY243
(RESERVED)

Fondemont de la Vie
KY244
(SOLD)

Rase de la Vie
KY245
(SOLD)


La Vie (Force)
KY276

L'Apparition de la Vie
KY239
(RESERVED)

Voyage
KY240
(SOLD)

La Vie (éte)
KY241
(RESERVED)


Meditation
KY271

Mytologue
KY272

La Vie (L'Apparation)
KY273

La Vie
KY275


La Monde Bouddha
KY269

Cours de la Époque
KY270

Point de Vu
KY274

La Vie
KY253
(RESERVED)


La Vie
KY277

Fond
KY235

Untitled
KY231

Untitled
KY232


Energie de la Vie
KY236

Révelation
KY233

La Vie
KY234

L'Histoire du Cóeur
KY268


La Vie (Meditation)
KY238

Untitled
KY237

Le Temps Fuit
KY264
La Vie by Kenji Yoshida
La Vie

La Vie by Kenji Yoshida
La Vie
La Vie by Kenji Yoshida
La Vie
La Vie by Kenji Yoshida
La Vie
La Vie by Kenji Yoshida
Fondement

La Vie by Kenji Yoshida
Evolution
La Vie by Kenji Yoshida
La Vida (Meditation) II
   







Kenji Yoshida

Biography

Yoshida had numerous solo exhibitions in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Israel, Japan, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States and is represented in many prestigious collections around the world.

1924  Born in Ikeda City (Osaka) on May 24.
1943   Graduates as a teacher. Studies Art with Furukido Masaru Sensei, who told Yoshida: "Don't take up a rifle, take up painting". Furukido himself died in World War II.
  Commenced art studies with Hayashi Kiyoshi Sensei that continued until Hayashi's death in 1988.
   Joins the JNAF and trains as a kami-kaze pilot.
1945  At the end of the war returns to teaching in Osaka and continues his art education.
1951  Moves to Tokyo and works as an art teacher.
1964  Moves to Paris and joins Stanley William Hayter's 'Atelier 17'. This relationship lasts until Hayter's death in 1987.
1966   Participates in the founding of 'Atelier du Nord'.
1968   Goes to Israel and lives at the Shamir Kibbutz for two months. Travels in Israel, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
1972  Meets Spanish sculptor Apelles Fenosa and begins a life long relationship lasting until Fenosa's death in 1987. From this year on travels frequently in Europe and the Middle East.
1983   Returns to Japan for a three month visit in search of the traditional, ancient Japanese spirit.
1986  Death of his wife, Hiroko.
1987  Visits Egypt, including Cairo, Alexandria, and in particular Luxor and the Valley of the Kings.
1989  First exhibition in the UK at the October Gallery.
1989  First visit to the USA, visits Biosphere 2, location of one multi-panelled works.
1990   Travels in Mexico and Cuba where he conceives his 'Maya Series'.
1991   Second exhibition at October Gallery.
1993  First living artist to be given a solo exhibition at the New Japanese Galleries of the British Museum.
1996   'Maya Series', Museum of Modern Art, Mexico City, touring to five cities in Mexico.
2000-2003  Large standing octagonal installation, Sei-mei, in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin; Norwich Cathedral and Canterbury Cathedral as part of the Festival of Canterbury.
2004   Life Force: New Works. The October Gallery, London.
2009   Died in Tokyo, February 24.

Selected Solo Exhibitions
1957   Maramatsu Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1958   Maramatsu Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1959   Maramatsu Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1960   Maramatsu Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1964   Takekawa Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1966   Hammarlund Kunsthandel, Oslo, Norway
1968   The Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art, Haifa, Israel
1972   Neue Galerie der Stadt Linz, Linz, Austria
1973   Seibu Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1974   Modern-Art Galerie, Vienna, Austria
1976   Fujiyoshi Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1977   Galerie L’Estampille, Brussels, Belgium
1977   Gallerie Point W., Gaillard, France
1979   Galerie Aujourd’hui, Geneva, Switzerland
1982   L'Ecole de France, Geneva, Switzerland
1983   Art-Houre Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1984   Galerie Galise, Thonon, France
1989   Château Sonderborg, Sonderborg, Denmark
1989   October Gallery, London, United Kingdom
1991   Glenn Green Galleries, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
1991   October Gallery, London, United Kingdom
1993   The British Museum, London, United Kingdom
1997   Museo de Arte Moderno, Mexico City, Mexico
1998   Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Atenco de Yucatán, Mexico
1998   Museo de Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, Mexico
2000   Christ Church Cathedral Dublin, Ireland
2001   Galerie Prisma, Bolzano, Italy
2001   Park Tower Hall, Tokyo, Japan
2002   Norwich Cathedral, Norwich, United Kingdom
2003   Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, United Kingdom
2003   October Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2006   Château de Blois, Blois, France
2007   October Gallery, London, United Kingdom
2008   UNESCO, Paris, France
2010   October Gallery, London, United Kingdom

Selected Collections
Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, France
Bibliothèque Royale, Brussels, Belgium
Museum of Modern Art, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia
Museu de Arte Contemporânea, São Paulo, Brazil
Modern Art Museum, Norrköping, Sweden
American Artists Association, New York, USA
Ministry of Culture, Paris, France
Musée d’art moderne, Haifa, Israel
The Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art, Haifa, Israel
Gerber Foundation, California, USA
The Royal Collection of Denmark
The British Museum, London, United Kingdom
Museo de Arte abstraccion de Zacatecas, Mexico

Private Collections
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil,
Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Great
Britain, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands,
Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and USA.
    

 
 
 

 

October Gallery, 24 Old Gloucester Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1N 3AL
Tel: + 44 (0)20 7242 7367 Fax: + 44 (0)20 7405 1851

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The Gallery is closed during official holidays and for the entire month of August.

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