Yamazaki Tsuruko

1925｜Hyogo – 2019｜Hyogo
Born in Seidōmura, Muko District, Hyogo (now Ashiya). Yamazaki graduated from the English department of Kobayashi Sacred Heart Girls’ School. In 1947, she met Yoshihara Jirō, an avant-garde painter of the Nika Association, at an art workshop organized by Ashiya City. Yoshihara became her mentor, and in 1954, she joined the Gutai Art Association, which was established under his leadership. As a Gutai member, she exhibited three-dimensional pieces made from reflective materials such as metal plates, tin cans, and vinyl sheets, as well as vibrant paintings featuring bold stripes. She remained a member of Gutai until its dissolution in 1972. Later, she briefly explored figurative motifs, though she maintained her vivid use of color.

Yamazaki Tsuruko《Work》1964 Ashiya City Museum of Art & History
© Estate of Tsuruko Yamazaki, courtesy of LADS Gallery, Osaka and Take Ninagawa,Tokyo