SHIRATORI Ryusuke

Ryuusuke Shiratori is an artist specializing in Western painting, ink wash painting, and Chinese calligraphy. He was born in Ozu of Ehime prefecture, and raised in Matsuyama. Learning the techniques to Western painting, ink wash painting, and calligraphy all through self-study, Shiratori won his first prize (for Western painting) at his first contest, the “68th Nika Exhibition”, in 1983. Since then, he has continued working in the art field, establishing permanent collections (for ink wash painting) at the British Museum in 1995, National Museum of Ravenna in 1996, and Guilin Museum in 1997. In 1999, he established a permanent collection (for ink wash painting) in the Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art in Israel. In 2006, Shiratori established a permanent collection (for Western painting) in the Nanning Museum, and in 2008, he established another permanent collection (for Western painting) in the Heilongjiang Museum in Harbin, China. Beyond that, other permanent exhibitions of Shiratori’s art in China can be found in the Henan Provincial Museum, Beijing Capital Museum, Xi’an Epang Palace Hall, Inner Mongolia Museum, and Yunnan Provincial Museum. In addition, he has also been nominated as a regular member in the Frankfurt Goethe Museum in 2000 and the Institut de France in 2004. Shiratori won an award (for ink wash painting) at the International Fine Art Cannes Biennale, and established a permanent calligraphy collection at the Prague National Gallery in 2005 (upon winning the Prague art prize for his expression of calligraphic beauty). In 2007, Shiratori displayed a piece for the “Japan-Italy Art Miracle and Feast of Beauty”, and won the La Meraviglia award (for ink wash painting). In 2016, he placed first in the traditional Japanese art category of the French Tanna Royal Art Academy Exposition. In 2017, Shiratori was accredited as a Global Person of Cultural Merits in France. In 2018, he became an honorary member of the Royal Society of British Artists. Shiratori’s Western paintings are brilliant yet profound, containing numerous motifs on flowers, Mount Fuji, street corners, and the like. Meanwhile, his ink wash paintings follow the southern school of Chinese painting, whereas his calligraphy exhibits an individualistic style, resulting in original pieces where forcefulness and daintiness coexist in the same medium. Currently, Shiratori is a member of the Habsburgs Imperial Art Collection (Vienne, Austria), a permanent member of the International Modern Arts Academy Grand Prix (Belgium), and a member of the Japan Artists Association. Shiratori remains as an honorary member of the Royal Society of British Artists in 2018.