Pioneering conceptualist Jiro Takamatsu (1936-98), a major influence on the artists of the Mono-ha movement, had a career that spanned 40-plus years, during which time his considerable influence as an artist, theorist and teacher extended across the Japanese postwar cultural landscape. Takamatsu sought to take art outside conventional and institutional settings, collapsing the boundaries between art and life. His practice shifts across appearance and materials, from drawing and sculpture to photography.
This volume catalogs recently exhibited works (at Kayne Griffin Corcoran, Los Angeles), including the seminal 'Rusty Ground.' Also included are archival photography of the artist's studio, historical process images and stills from a 1974 Japanese television documentary depicting Takamatsu at work. Copiously illustrated, the book offers a timely reevaluation of Takamatsu's practice following a significant resurgence of appreciation for the Japanese avant-garde.