Shinkai Kakuo

Born 1904 in the former Tokyo Prefecture, Japan. Died 1968 in Tokyo, Japan.
Shinkai Kakuo began his career prior to World War II, exhibiting with groups such as the Pacific Art Society, the Nika Association, and lssuikai. Following the war, he participated in the establishment of the Nihonbijutsukai and became a central figure within the democratic art movement. Deeply inspired by German artist Kathe Kollwitz (1867–1945), Shinkai dedicated his life to creating realistic paintings rooted in a humanistic gaze. In the 1950s in particular, he produced numerous reportage paintings based on his visits to sites of labor and civic movements, depicting the urgency of their plight through powerful, candid works.This exhibition features Sketches in Uchinada series from the museum’s collection.