keiichi tanaami

portrait by CHIKASHI SUZUKI   A pioneer of Japanese Pop Art, Keiichi Tanaami (1936-2024) came to symbolize catharsis and regeneration in postwar Japanese society. A child of the war’s devastation, Tanaami transformed his traumatic memories of air raids, searchlights, and bombs into an explosive and colorful style that incorporated these themes and pop iconography. In a prolific creative career spanning over 60 years, Tanaami produced paintings, collages, sculptures, animations, and installations, influencing younger generations of artists. He recently had his first major retrospective, “Adventures in Memory,” at the National Art Center, Tokyo, paying tribute to a Japanese artist who is underappreciated in the Western contemporary art world. He died on August 9, 2024, before his exhibition closed.