THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
March 4, 2021 at 16:20 JST
Pioneering artist Toko Shinoda, who earned international acclaim for her works blending calligraphy and abstract expressionism that graced many of the world’s finest museums, died on March 1 of natural causes.
She was 107. A funeral was held with only relatives in attendance.
Although the foundation of Shinoda's artworks was based on traditional Japanese calligraphy, she began exploring Western abstract expressionism through ink in the postwar years.
She insisted on calling herself an artist, rather than a painter, reflecting her refusal to be pigeonholed by any genre.
Even as Shinoda advanced in years, she remained an imposing presence and her comments made in a determined tone won her the admiration of many audiences.
“I will never draw something that I don’t want to,” she said. “I don’t know how a person can be perfect.”
Shinoda was born in Dalian in the former Manchuria in 1913 as the fifth child of seven siblings. Her father managed a tobacco plant in Dalian. Her real name, Masuko, comes from characters representing Manchuria.
Shinoda returned to Japan before she turned 2. She received training in calligraphy and ink brush painting from relatives at home when she was very young.
In 1956, Shinoda traveled to New York and stayed in the United States until 1958, receiving praise for her works exhibited at many sites across America.
“New York is an art scene where you will be assessed solely on your creations, not by your connections,” she recalled of her stay in the United States.
Some of Shinoda’s works are in the collection of the British Museum and many other major museums overseas.
In Japan, her murals are exhibited at the Kyoto International Conference Center, as well as in Zojoji temple in Tokyo.
Seki, Gifu Prefecture, is home to the Toko Shinoda Art Space, a museum dedicated to her works. Although Shinoda grew up in Tokyo, she maintained strong ties with the prefecture as her family is from Gifu Prefecture.
Shinoda also penned many writings, including “Sumiiro,” (Ink hue), which won the Japan Essayist Club Award in 1979.
Among her recent books is titled “What I found out when I turned 103,” which was published in 2015.
She was a cousin of award-winning film director Masahiro Shinoda.
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Artist Toko Shinoda in 1958 (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
