Tatsuoki Nambata

Biography

Born in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, in 1905. The family moved to Tokyo the following year.

In 1923, at the age of 18, he entered Waseda First High School, where he met Kotaro Takamura.

In 1926, at the age of 21, he entered Waseda University’s Faculty of Political Science and Economics (withdrew in 1927).

In 1927, at the age of 22, he was inspired by seeing Van Gogh’s works with Takamura and decided to become a painter.

In 1928, at the age of 23, Takamura introduced him to Riichiro Kawashima, and he became his pupil.

In 1929, at the age of 24, he exhibited at the 4th National Art Association Exhibition (Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum) and was selected.

In 1933, at the age of 28, he deepened his friendship with Shunsuke Matsumoto and Masao Tsuruoka.

In 1935, at the age of 30, he co-founded the group “Form.”

In 1937, at the age of 32, he participated in the formation of the Free Art Association and exhibited in its 23rd exhibition until 1959, when he resigned.

In 1946, at the age of 41, he participated as a committee member in the establishment of the Japan Art Association.

In 1953, at the age of 48, the International Art Club Japan Branch was established (with Taro Okamoto as the representative), and he became a member.

In 1957, at the age of 52, he became a lecturer at Bunka Fashion College (until March 1981).

In 1961, at the age of 56, he founded the Hokuseikai (a group of eight abstract painters from Hokkaido).

In 1971, at the age of 66, he received the Blue Ribbon Medal.

In 1974, at the age of 69, his son Fumio passed away in the Seto Inland Sea at the age of 32. The following year, his eldest son Norio also passed away.

In 1988, at the age of 83, he received the 29th Mainichi Art Award (1987).

In 1995, at the age of 90, he received the Hokkaido Shimbun Cultural Award.

In 1996, at the age of 91, he was recognized as a Person of Cultural Merit.

In 1997, at the age of 92, he passed away from pneumonia at a hospital in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo.

In 1998, the Nambata Tatsuoki & Fumio Memorial Art Museum was opened in Toyama City.

In 1999, the Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery opened, and Nambata’s works were permanently displayed at the “Terada Gallery.”

Main Exhibitions

1994: “Tatsuoki Nambata: Development of Abstraction, The Resonance of Life” (Setagaya Art Museum)
1989: “Time of the Caves – Tatsuoki Nambata Solo Exhibition” (Ginza Art Center, etc.)
1987: “Contemporary Artists: Tatsuoki Nambata” (National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo)
1982: “Poet of Form: Tatsuoki Nambata Exhibition” (Hokkaido Asahikawa Art Museum, Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art)
1978: “Tatsuoki Nambata, Norio, and Fumio Exhibition” (Ikeda 20th Century Art Museum)
1977: “Recent Works by Tatsuoki Nambata” (Fuji Television Gallery, Tokyo)
1973: “The Development of Post-War Japanese Art: Diversification of Abstract Expression” (National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo)
1963: “Trends in Contemporary Painting” (National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto)
1956: “World and Contemporary Art Exhibition”
1947: First Art Organization Association Exhibition (Exhibited until the fifth exhibition)
1947: First Independent Exhibition (organized by the Japan Art Association)
1942: First Solo Exhibition by Tatsuoki Nambata (Seijusha Gallery, Ginza)
1930: First Solo Exhibition by Tatsuoki Nambata (Hongo)

Posthumous Exhibitions

2025 “Nambata Tatsuoki” (Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery)
2025 “Yamaguchi Seijo and Nambata Tatsuoki” (Hokkaido Asahikawa Museum of Art)
2022 “Nambata Tatsuoki, Tsutaka Waichi, Shiraga Kazuo, Kusama Yayoi — Abstract Paintings from the Museum Collection” (Museum and Archives, Kyoto Institute of Technology)
2021 “Terada Kotaro: Records of Life — The Collection Forever” (Tama Art University Museum)
2021 “Donation Commemoration: Collector Terada Kotaro — Centering on Nambata Tatsuoki and Aigasa Masayoshi” (Waseda University Aizu Yaichi Memorial Museum)
2021 “Nambata Tatsuoki: Early Abstractions” (Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery)
2019 “115th Anniversary of Birth: Kataoka Tamako and Nambata Tatsuoki” (Hokkaido Kushiro Art Museum)
2019 “Collector’s Tribute — In Memory of Terada Kotaro” (Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery)
2017 “Reminiscing Nambata Tatsuoki” (Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery)
2016 “Trembling Blue — Abstractions by Nambata Tatsuoki” (The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama)
2015 “The World of Nambata Tatsuoki and Fumio” (Waseda University Aizu Yaichi Memorial Museum)
2014 “Nambata Tatsuoki: Centering on the T Collection” (Okawa Museum of Art)
2001 “100th Anniversary of Birth: Nambata Tatsuoki — The Man and His Art” (Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery)
1999 “Symphonic Poem of Life: Nambata Tatsuoki — Developments of Japanese Abstraction and Imagination” (Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery)

Public Collections

Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery
National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art
National Museum of International Art
Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Contemporary Art
Toyama Prefectural Art Museum
Ishikawa Prefectural Art Museum
Fukuoka Prefectural Art Museum
Saitama Prefectural Museum of Modern Art
Shizuoka Prefectural Art Museum
Niigata City Art Museum
Niigata Prefectural Museum of Modern Art
Niigata Bandaijima Art Museum
Tokushima Prefectural Museum of Modern Art
Osaka Nakanoshima Art Museum
Mie Prefectural Art Museum
Aomori Prefectural Art Museum
Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art
Hokkaido Asahikawa Art Museum
Hokkaido Shimbun Corporation
Sapporo Art Park Museum
Yokohama Art Museum
Nerima Art Museum