Oral history interview with Kenzo Okada
Portions of this collection are digitized

Summary

Oral history interview with Kenzo Okada, 1968 November 22, Transcript
Collection ID:
AAA.okada68
Creators:
Okada, Kenzo, 1902-1982
Selvig, Forrest
Dates:
1968 November 22
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
44 Pages
Transcript
Repository:
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
Interview of Kenzo Okada conducted 1968 November 22, by Forrest Selvig, for the Archives of American Art.
Scope and Contents
Okada discusses his background; wanting to be a painter since age 15 and his father being against the idea; attending Tokyo Fine Arts University and studying Western art tradition there; going to Paris in 1924 to study on his own; meeting Alberto Giacometti in Paris; returning to Japan in 1927; interest in Western art; exhibiting in Japan; his painting style; coming to the United States in 1950; and appreciating Japan and Japanese culture. Okada mentions Marie Laurencin, Bradley Tomlin, Clyfford Still, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Betty Parsons, Mark Rothko, Nishita (Japanese philosopher), and Mark Tobey.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Kenzo Okada (1902-1982) was a Japanese American painter based in New York City, New York.
Administration
Existence and Location of Copies
Transcript available on line at http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/oralhistories/transcripts/okada68.htm
Reproduction Note
Item is a transcript.
Existence and Location of Originals
Location of original tape unknown.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art's Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
Digital Content

Oral history interview with Kenzo Okada, 1968 November 22, Transcript
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
More Information
Keywords
Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Asian American art Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Asian American artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Japanese American art Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Japanese American artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Asian American painters Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Giacometti, Alberto, 1901-1966 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kuniyoshi, Yasuo, 1889-1953 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Laurencin, Marie, 1883-1956 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Parsons, Betty Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rothko, Mark, 1903-1970 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Still, Clyfford, 1904-1980 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Tobey, Mark Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Tomlin, Bradley Walker, 1899-1953 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Tokyo Geijutsu Daigaku Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Repository Contact
Archives of American Art
750 9th Street, NW
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions
https://www.aaa.si.edu/