Kōji Enokura

Place: Tokyo

Born: 1942

Death: 1995

Biography:

Kōji Enokura was a Japanese painter and installation artist, born in Tokyo in 1942. He is best known for his contributions to the Mono-ha movement, which emerged in the late 1960s and 1970s. Enokura's works focus on the interdependency of various elements and the surrounding space, as much as on the materials themselves.

Early Life and Education

Enokura graduated from the painting department at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in 1966. He received his MFA in painting from the same university in 1968. During this period, he was heavily influenced by the works of Richard Serra, Jannis Kounellis, and Christo. Enokura's early works were characterized by his use of oil and grease to stain paper, cloth, felt, and leather.

Site Specific Installations

Enokura's site-specific installations are a testament to his innovative spirit. In 1970, he exhibited Place, a stack of rough straw paper piled in different heights and soaked with oil, at the Tokyo Biennale '70 – Between Man and Matter. This work was showcased alongside other notable artists, including Luciano Fabro and Bruce Nauman. Enokura's use of oil and grease to create site-specific installations marked a significant departure from traditional painting techniques.

Notable Works

Some of Enokura's most notable works include Untitled (1970), a triangular structure of slashed leather placed on the floor in the corner, and Wall, a three-meter-tall and five-meter-wide concrete partition between two trees in the Parc Floral. These works demonstrate Enokura's ability to create complex, thought-provoking installations that challenge traditional notions of art.

Photographs as Artworks

In addition to his site-specific installations, Enokura also took photographs that he considered to be artworks in their own right. One of the most iconic images is Symptom: Sea–Body (P.W. No. 40), which shows the artist lying down on the seashore, his body following the curve of the incoming tide. This work showcases Enokura's ability to capture the essence of the human experience through his art.

Later Works

During the 1980s and 1990s, Enokura continued to explore the act of staining on cotton-fabric. His works from this period, titled Intervention or Intervention (Story), feature smooth fields of black paint with unpainted fabric, sometimes drenched with oil-soaked beams of lumber. Enokura's use of oil and water to create these works marks a significant departure from his earlier site-specific installations.

• Murauchi Art Museum in Tokyo, Japan, has an impressive collection of Enokura's works.
• Enokura's use of industrial materials and natural elements has been influential in the development of modern art.
• Enokura's site-specific installations have been showcased at various museums, including the Seiji Togo Memorial Yasuda Kasai Museum of Art in Tokyo, Japan.

As a pioneer of the Mono-ha movement, Kōji Enokura's works continue to inspire artists and art enthusiasts around the world. His innovative use of materials and his ability to create complex, thought-provoking installations have cemented his place in the history of modern art. For more information on Enokura's works, visit https://Wikioo.org or check out the Yamato e Art Movement at https://Wikioo.org.