Ako Sugie | "Yuichi Inoue's Calligraphy and Postwar Graphic Design 1970s-1980s"
This exhibition commemorates the 40th anniversary of Yuichi Inoue's death, focusing on his powerful calligraphy and its use in graphic design during the 1970s and 1980s.Summary
This article previews the exhibition "Yuichi Inoue's Calligraphy and Postwar Graphic Design 1970s-1980s," held at the Shibuya City Bunkamura Shoto Museum of Art from September 6 to November 3, 2025, marking 40 years since the calligrapher's passing. Yuichi Inoue created intensely powerful works, often described as primitive art, characterized by bold, free execution of characters like "Flower," "Death," and "Poverty." The source of his energy stems from his harrowing experience of nearly dying during the Tokyo air raids in 1945, coupled with poverty. The exhibition specifically examines the phenomenon of prominent graphic designers, including Shigeo Fukuda and Ikko Tanaka, actively incorporating Inoue's work into advertising media during the 1970s and 1980s. The author suggests this occurred because, while society was peaceful and affluent, it remained connected to the war experience, prompting reflection, and perhaps because mature graphic design was becoming somewhat stagnant, leading designers to utilize Inoue's arresting work as a powerful hook, despite the risk of it becoming mere noise.
(Source：artscape)