SHIRAKAWA Yoshio

Born 1948 in Fukuoka
Based in Gunma

Shirakawa Yoshio studied philosophy and art in France and Germany during the 1970s, returning to Japan in 1983. Since then he has been based in Gunma Prefecture and has actively embraced the regional, peripheral, and obscure while carrying out projects such as Location: Gunma tied directly to the history, culture, and economy of local areas separate from the trends, discourse, and centralized ethos of the mainstream art world. Shirakawa has taken a forward-looking approach to current art trends toward emphasis on multiculturalism and social participation. He has also extensively researched and written on modern and contemporary art history, consistently critiquing and re-examining the prevailing art-historical perspectives and standards. His own works frequently employ everyday materials, with shape and color configured and arrayed with precision and a light touch. Shirakawa conveys the magic and potential of sculpture while continuing to explore and question its theory and practice.