Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1940, Kawaguchi graduated from Tama Art University in 1962 and is now an Emeritus Professor at Tsukuba University.

He gained attention from the early days of his career, particularly after forming and participating in the ‘Group “I” ‘ in 1965, and has exhibited in numerous exhibitions, including the 10th Japan International Art Exhibition (Tokyo Biennale: Between Man and Matter) in 1970 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and others. In 1989, he participated in ‘Magiciens de la Terre’ at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. He has unceasingly engaged in art creation from the 1960s to the present.

Alongside his artistic endeavours, he has held teaching positions at various universities, including Tsukuba University, and has consistently been involved in educational activities.

From the beginning of his career in the 1960s, his work has centred on the theme of ‘relation’, a pursuit that continues today. In his exploration of ‘the visible’ and ‘the invisible’, Kawaguchi engages with the essence of various materials, such as metals (iron, copper, lead), fossils, shells, and plant seeds, to contemplate and articulate the concept of ‘relation’.

Major domestic solo exhibitions recently are ‘Tatsuo Kawaguchi: chi no kohya’ (2018) at Kurobe City Art Museum, ‘SHOW-CASE project No. 4 Tatsuo Kawaguchi Gaze Breathing via Branchial Respiration’ (2020) and ‘Artist Voice I: Tatsuo Kawaguchi non-respiring’ (2021) at Keio University Art Center, and others.

• https://www.tatsuokawaguchi.com/