Tamura Kazuo was born and raised in 1904 in what is now Nakano Ward, Tokyo. Aspiring to be a painter, he visited the Tateshina Plateau in Shinshu when he was in his early 20s and was inspired by its grandeur. He continued to paint Japanese landscapes, particularly plateau landscapes, until his death at the age of 92. Tamura's works are distinct from realistic landscape paintings, and are endowed with an air of "solitude" and "purity," as if Tamura himself had been projected onto the canvas, making them what could be called portraits of mountains. It is likely that it was precisely because Tamura continued to create his works outdoors, even in the harsh winter, that he was able to express the aspects of nature that he sensed with his eyes, ears, skin, and heart.

One of the characteristics of Tamura's work is his matière (painting surface). In his early days, he painted landscapes with light brushstrokes, and in Europe, he also produced works in bright colors. After returning to Japan, he began to explore how to express Japanese landscapes using oil painting techniques, using rollers, palette knives, and even cheese graters to find a unique way of expression. For this exhibition, the works have been selected with a focus on his painting surface.

We hope that the diverse changes in the texture of Tamura's works will encourage viewers to think back to the original landscapes of Japan and engage with the works.