
Biography
Amano Kazumi was a Japanese painter and printmaker born in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture, who studied furniture design before turning to woodblock prints in the early 1950s under the influence of Munakata Shiko. By the early 1960s, while still living in Japan, his style had evolved from figurative work into vibrant abstract geometric compositions with deep embossing. He later moved to the United States, settling in New York City in 1971. His prints are held in the permanent collections of the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Key Facts
- Active Period
- 1927–2001
- Nationality
- 🇯🇵Japan
- Movement
- Contemporary Mokuhanga
- Works Indexed
- 37
Frequently Asked Questions
Amano Kazumi was a Japanese painter and printmaker born in Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture, who studied furniture design before turning to woodblock prints in the early 1950s under the influence of Munakata Shiko. By the early 1960s, while still living in Japan, his style had evolved from figurative work into vibrant abstract geometric compositions with deep embossing. He later moved to the United States, settling in New York City in 1971. His prints are held in the permanent collections of the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Amano Kazumi was active from 1927 to 2001. They were associated with the Contemporary Mokuhanga movement.
Amano Kazumi's work was shaped by the Contemporary Mokuhanga tradition in Japanese woodblock printmaking. Contemporary Mokuhanga: Contemporary mokuhanga (literally "wood-block print") encompasses artists working from approximately 1970 to the present who continue or reinvent traditional Japanese woodblock printing techniques.
Amano Kazumi's prints frequently feature abstract, music, embossing, figures, calligraphy, animals.
Original prints by Amano Kazumi can be found in collections including Minneapolis Institute of Art, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Japanese Art Open Database, Legion of Honor.
Woodblock Prints by Amano Kazumi (37)
![Untitled [musicians performing Owara-bushi] by Amano Kazumi](https://1.api.artsmia.org/800/135476.jpg)
Untitled [musicians performing Owara-bushi]
late 1950s
Woodblock print, ink on paper
![Untitled [mountains, village, and boater] by Amano Kazumi](https://1.api.artsmia.org/800/135701.jpg)
Untitled [mountains, village, and boater]
late 1950s
Woodblock print, ink on paper
![Untitled [mountain scape with river] by Amano Kazumi](https://1.api.artsmia.org/800/135475.jpg)
Untitled [mountain scape with river]
late 1950s
Woodblock print, ink on paper

Seventh song (part 9)
July 1957
Woodblock print, ink on paper

Third song (part 5)
July 1957
Woodblock print, ink on paper

Colophon (part 1)
July 1957
Woodblock print, ink on paper

Description (part 2)
July 1957
Woodblock print, ink on paper

First song (part 3)
July 1957
Woodblock print, ink on paper

Back cover (part 10)
July 1957
Woodblock print, ink on paper

Fourth song (part 6)
July 1957
Woodblock print, ink on paper

Second song (part 4)
July 1957
Woodblock print, ink on paper
![Untitled [two roosters] by Amano Kazumi](https://1.api.artsmia.org/800/135977.jpg)
Untitled [two roosters]
1960
Woodblock print, ink on paper

Assemblage (Yellow)
October 1962
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper

Join
June 1962
Woodblock print, ink and color on embossed paper

Layers
1962
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper

Moral (Endurance)
1963
Woodblock print, ink and color on embossed paper

Inner Motion (Embrace)
1963
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper

A Piece of Poetry, Drawing, Assemblage
March 1965
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper

Fabrication (Inclusion)
1966
Woodblock print, ink and color on embossed paper

Self-figure (Surround) A
1966
Woodblock print, ink and color on embossed paper

Chorus
1967
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper with embossing

Mold (Life) A
1968
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper

Inside and Outside (Round) A
1968
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper with embossing

Color-ring (Fragment) D
1968
Woodblock print, ink and color on embossed paper