Minoru Niizuma facts for kids
Minoru Niizuma (新妻 実, Niizuma Minoru, September 29, 1930 – September 5, 1998) was a Japanese artist who created amazing abstract sculptures. He was known for his unique designs and for using different types of stone.
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About Minoru Niizuma
Minoru Niizuma finished his art studies in Tokyo, Japan, in 1955. For a few years, he showed his art with the Modern Art Association. In 1959, Niizuma moved to New York City in the United States.
From 1964 to 1970, he taught art at the Brooklyn Museum Art School. Later, from 1972 to 1984, he was a professor at Columbia University. Niizuma mostly worked with marble. He also used granite, volcanic rock, and other materials.
His sculptures had many different styles. Some were geometric, with clear shapes. Others were more organic, looking like natural forms. Sometimes, his art even reminded people of traditional folk art. His works blended ideas from Asian traditions and modern Western art. A great example is his sculpture The Wave's Voice, which is in the Honolulu Museum of Art.
You can find Niizuma's art in many public collections. These include famous museums like the Museum of Modern Art in New York. His sculptures are also at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. In Japan, his work is at the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo. He even made a sculpture called "Azores" in 1987. It's made of basalt and is now in Ponta Delgada, Azores.
Niizuma's Work in Portugal
Minoru Niizuma spent a lot of time working in Portugal. He was there from 1981 until he passed away in 1998. He played a big part in making the art and culture ties stronger between Portugal and Japan. He worked with Portugal's President, Mario Soares. Together, they helped bring Japanese art to Portugal. Niizuma also introduced many Portuguese artists to Japan.
Niizuma first visited Portugal for the Évora Symposium in 1981. There, he worked with other famous Portuguese artists. He saw the beautiful marble and stones available in Portugal. He also made friends with other sculptors. Because of this, Niizuma kept working in Portugal, mostly in Lisbon.
In 1986, Niizuma had a big art show at the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum. Even today, two of his sculptures are always on display there. Jose Berardo, a well-known art collector from Portugal, owns many of Niizuma's works. Niizuma had several shows at the Berardo Museum in Lisbon. Today, over 30 of his sculptures are in the Minoru Niizuma Sculpture Garden. This garden is at Berardo’s Bacalhoa Winery-Museum, just outside Lisbon.
Where to See Niizuma's Art in Lisbon
Niizuma has several large sculptures in public places in Lisbon, Portugal. You can find them in parks and museums. They are often in peaceful spots and are easy to visit.
- The Castle of the Eye I is outside the modern art part of the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum. Another one is in the sculpture garden there. Both were made in 1986.
- A Castle of the Eye made of pink marble is in the ‘Lago do Niizuma’ at the botanical gardens. This is at the Monteiro-Mor Palace in Lisbon.
- A large Castle of the Eye from 1994 is in the Jardim de Belém, Lisbon.
- More than 30 sculptures are at the Bacalhoa Winery-Museum. They are in a special sculpture garden for Minoru Niizuma. This garden has a unique five-piece Castle of the Eye. It also has many smaller and medium-sized pieces. The garden is shady, with oak and bamboo trees.
Niizuma's Sculptures in the United States
You can see several of Niizuma's sculptures in the United States. Most of them are on the East Coast. Some museums, like the Guggenheim and the Museum of Modern Art, own his sculptures. However, they don't always have them on display. But you can find some pieces in sculpture gardens, schools, or campuses around the country.
- Castle of the Eye (1975) is at the Annmarie Sculpture Garden and Arts Center in Solomons, Maryland. This piece is on loan from the Smithsonian Museum.
- Infinity (1985) is at the Cleveland Clinic's Lyndhurst Campus in Ohio.
- Castle of the Eye (1973) is at the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. This garden is part of the New Orleans Museum of Art.
- Hollow Sea (1966) is on the Williams College Sculpture Trail.
- Wave's Voice (1963) is at the Honolulu Academy of Arts.
Niizuma's Impact in Japan
Niizuma studied art at Tokyo University of Arts before moving to New York City. After becoming a well-known sculptor in New York, he started organizing his own stone sculpture events in Japan. He organized the Iwate Symposium for several years. He invited many sculptors to create art in Iwate, Japan.
There is a museum and sculpture garden dedicated to Minoru Niizuma's works. It is at the Sekigahara Seisakusho Company in Sekigahara, Japan.
You can also see many of his sculptures throughout Japan:
- Castle of the Eye (1986) is in front of Hekinan City Hall.
- Several pieces are at DesignWater in Nagoya.
- A smaller Castle of the Eye is at the Chigusa Hotel in Fukuoka.
- Castle of the Eye (1986) is in front of Shizuoka City Hall.
Niizuma's Legacy
The Niizuma Foundation for the Arts (NFA) helps artists. It especially supports those who work to connect different communities. The foundation gives money and offers gallery space. It helps both new and established artists in upstate New York. The foundation also works to take care of Niizuma’s sculptures around the world.
Images for kids
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Castle of the Eye sculpture by Minoru Niizuma, 1987. Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon, Portugal
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Nest in St. Margarethen, 1971
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The Wave's Voice, granite sculpture by Niizuma Minoru, 1963, Honolulu Museum of Art
