Hidekichi Shigemoto
Japanese Black Ink Illustrator, “Sumi-e” Artist
Born in Matsuyama, Ehime, Hidekichi lives in Tokyo now. Graduated from Design
Department of Osaka University of Art (OUA), he is currently a Visiting Professor of
OUA.
With his own drawing style using traditional Japanese drawing materials, Black Ink
“Sumi” and Brush “Fude”, Hidekichi has established his unique and unprecedented Black
Ink “Sumi-e” Art, which is completely different from any traditional Japanese Ink wash
paintings. Hidekichi's Black Ink paintings are always brimming with speed and
dynamism, which has made him one and only Sumi-e artist.
The vibrant way he draws portraits and human figures, such as athletes or musicians, has
fascinated people around the world; his brand-new Black Ink paintings which vividly
capture the moment have drawn attention both in Japan and overseas.
Recently, Hidekichi draws a lot of historical figures, such as Japanese warlords or samurai
with his unconventional style; such a unique combination of traditional materials and
contemporary touch has made his originality shine forth.
Hidekichi is also well known for his “live painting” performance on the spot, in particular,
his performance in which he paints three huge pieces of drawings simultaneously and
completes them within twenty minutes, always enthuses the audience. He was invited
to Pre-Olympic events in Beijing and London, where he did his “live painting”
performance. Soon his performance attracted attention around the world, and he has
done his performance in Amsterdam, Moscow, Dalian, Taiwan, Sakhalin, Singapore, and
so on.
Since 2015, 81 Sumi-e signboards of Tokyo Olympic/Paralympic Games “TOKYO2020”
(by MIZUHO Financial Group, Inc.) have been displayed on the outer walls of the
passenger boarding bridges at Haneda Airport in Tokyo: on these signboards, Hidekichi
has drawn athletes of 28 Olympic Games and 22 Paralympic Games. These Sumi-e
signboards will be displayed until 2021.
You can also enjoy a range of Hidekichi's dynamic Sumi-e paintings on shop walls as
well as walls of temples or hot spring spas, etc. all over Japan, especially he has left a lot
of paintings in Ehime prefecture, his birthplace.
Hidekichi's Sumi-e paintings have appeared in Art textbooks for junior-high and high
school students published by Nihon Bunkyou Shuppan, where his works have been
categorized as “New Sumi-e Art”
English translation 今泉志奈子(Shinako Imaizumi)