Yunoki Samiro（1922─2024）

Born in Tokyo in 1922 as the second son of oil painter Yunoki Hisata, Yunoki Samiro was drafted into the military while studying aesthetics and art history at Tokyo Imperial University. After the war, he returned to Kurashiki, where his father was born.
While working at the Ohara Museum of Art, he encountered the Mingei philosophy of Yanagi Muneyoshi as well as Serizawa Keisuke’s katazome (stencil-dyeing) calendars, and he decided to become a stencil-dyeing artist. After learning the basics of stencil-dyeing under Serizawa, Yunoki participated exhibitions at Japan Folk Crafts Museum,
Kokugakai (National Painting Association), and through the solo exhibitions he gave the world a huge number of dyed works of art with free and flowing shapes and rich colors.
He also devoted himself to developing the next generation of artists. He was involved in teaching at Joshibi
University of Art and Design for many years, starting in 1950, and from 1987 to 1991 he served as the university's president. While dye art remained the focus of his practice from the 1980s onward, his oeuvre transcends genres and includes prints, collages, picture books, three-dimensional works, and glass paintings. Starting in the 2000s, he became known for endeavors connected to modern life, such as exhibitions at the IDÉE interior design shop, artwork for cafés and hotels, and product development collaborations. At the same time, he continued to create dye artworks as a form of free expression, separate from works with practical applications.