KAZ Namekawa
Born in Kobe in 1926. Graduated from Keio University Faculty of Literature in 1950. After that, he pursued painting and studied independently at the Art Institute. In 1958, he started to exhibit at the Shunyokai, which is one of the big artist organization in Japan. He had been its fomal member between 1978 and 2006. Lives and works in Italy from 1982 to 1987. He had had many solo shows at Osaka Gallery, Galerie Kobe, Chayamachi Gallery and Gallery Matsui since 1966. In 1999, he Received the Cultural Award Contemporary Art Award from the Arts and Culture Handon no Kai. Died in 2007.
Nowadays, I am always thinking about what human happiness is. In that sense, am I the old type? I feel at ease in working hard and drawing each stroke. But I'm sometimes wondering if this is an escape. Or maybe I am challenging myself to the final bet. That's more preferable to me ... (Quoting from a letter to his daughter, Misa, 1998)
