Memorial Exhibition for Tetsuo Mizù: "The Legacy of Tetsuo Mizù"

We are honored to present a memorial exhibition for the late painter Tetsuo Mizu, who passed away due to pneumonia on January 30, 2025, at the age of 80. The exhibition will be held at Shikisaisha Gallery. Through a carefully selected group of works, including his iconic Flag Series, this exhibition traces the artistic journey of Tetsuo Mizu, whose work left a lasting legacy.

Tetsuo Mizu gained recognition in the 1980s for his distinctive visual language inspired by international maritime signal flags. He pursued an active career across Europe, living and exhibiting in countries such as Italy, France, and Spain. In 1987, he was invited to the International Art Exhibition in Anzio, near Rome, where he received a special award. He also created stained-glass windows for the Church of Santa Anna in Italy.

His acclaim in the European art scene was further cemented by exhibitions such as “Picasso, Dalí, Chagall, Mizu” (1989, Barcelona) and “Dalí, Mizu” (1990, Beaune, France). His signature style—matte, richly layered surfaces divided by fine lines—has often been described as contemporary abstraction with affinities to ukiyo-e. Mizu also showcased his work at major international art fairs, including Art Basel (Switzerland), FIAC (Paris), and Art Rio (Brazil). In 1998, he created a 32-meter-long ceramic mural for the White Ring arena, the figure skating venue of the Nagano Winter Olympics.

Mizu had a deep connection with our gallery, Shikisaisha, since its founding. In fact, our current gallery logo was designed by Mizu himself. We hope this exhibition offers an opportunity to reflect on and reconnect with the spirit and work of this remarkable artist.