Kiyoshi Awazu 粟津潔

Kiyoshi Awazu (1929-2009)
Sky Sea West East 天海西東
Awazu Private Exhibition, 1980
Color offset poster
Sheet size: 103x72.6 cm
The upper right corner and lower left corner have creases, see photos.

Kiyoshi Awazu was self-taught; he had no formal university training in art or design. Nevertheless, he fought his way to a place among the top ranks of the design world. His oeuvre ranges from countless posters and book designs to stage sets, film decorations, and exhibitions.
Awazu developed a unique, unmistakable style, drawing on historical symbols from Japanese visual culture. He avoided simplicity and clear forms, inviting the viewer into fantastical, psychedelic worlds permeated by expressive, surreal, hand-drawn motifs. Awazu consciously rejected industrial commissions, dedicating his work to cultural events and political commentary.