KAWANO, Kaoru (1916-1965)

Medium: Woodblock

Kawano was born in Hokkaido and trained at the Kawabata School of Art, in Tokyo during the 1930s.  His work became popular after the second world war, when Westerners began to recognize and collect his distinctive work.

Most of his prints were done in a figurative style, most often depicting children, dancers, birds and cats. One characteristic of his work is the tendency to show wood grain patterns in clothing, hair, feathers, or sometimes in the background of the prints.  Frequently Kawano would also incorporate powdered mica to further enhance the design.

Exhibitions:
New York
Chicago
Seattle
Yugoslavia

Collections:
Harvard University Art Museum, Massachusetts
Bruer Museum of Arts, Valparaio University, Indiana
Art Institute, Chicago, Illinois