Saitō Shōji
1976 (Shōwa 51)
Donated by the artist
Saitō Shōji (1919-1998) was born in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture, and moved to Ōsaka at the age of 12. Studying at the Ōsaka Municipal Fine Arts Research Center, in 1946 his work was selected to appear in the 1st exhibition of the Kohdo Art Exhibition. In 1958, he was nominated for the Yasui Prize Candidate for the Newcomers Exhibition, considered an important benchmark for newcomers entering into the world of representative fine art.
From 1962, he went to Europe three times, each trip serving as an impetus for him to establish his personal method of expression via deep coloration. After returning to Japan, he held numerous exhibitions in Tōkyō and Ōsaka.