Seitaro Kuroda: KAKIBARA - The Man Who Draws

Seitaro Kuroda KAKIBAKA The Man Who Draws is a collection of works featuring an extensive compilation of drawings and words by illustrator Seitaro Kuroda. While the title bears Seitaro Kuroda's name, the colophon lists both Seitaro Kuroda and Keisuke Nagatomo, highlighting the long-standing relationship between the two artists who have worked side-by-side for many years.

Within its 416 pages and 3.5cm thickness, the book contains approximately 6,000 illustrations and 200 messages. Sketches drawn from daily life and excerpts from past books and magazines fill the pages alongside Kuroda's unrestrained lines.

What emanates from this book is a pure impulse to "draw." The vigorous lines, the spontaneous colors, the short yet powerful words—all affirm the idea of "drawing freely" rather than "drawing skillfully."

"Anyone can draw, and everyone should be free to do so."

It's a collection of art, a collection of words, and at times, it reads like an "adult picture book." Seitaro Kuroda's enduring belief in the "power of art" overflows from every corner of its pages.

[Title] Seitaro Kuroda KAKIBAKA The Man Who Draws
[Publisher] Kyuryudo
[Publication Date] September 12, 2003
[Page Count] 416 pages
[Dimensions] Approx. 150*212*36mm / 861g
[Format] Softcover
[Language] Japanese
[Title Reading] KAKIBAKA KAKU OTOKO
[Author/Editor] Seitaro Kuroda/Author, Keisuke Nagatomo/Author
[Printing] Dai Nippon Printing/Printed
[ISBN] 4763003151
[Condition] Used [4] Good to Fair (Cover: minor sun-fading on spine, minor damage to top/bottom edges; Book block: slight staining on top edge)
[Accessories] None
[Featured in] -
[Related Exhibition] -

Seitaro Kuroda (1939-)

Born in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, in 1939. Painter, illustrator.
He spent his childhood in Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture. After working various jobs, including as a crew member on a US military ship, he established the design firm "K2" with Keisuke Nagatomo in 1969. Since then, he has been active in a wide range of fields, including advertising, book covers, picture books, and live painting. From 1992, he also maintained a studio in New York and continued to work energetically both in Japan and abroad.

Known for his powerful brushwork and vivid colors, he has published numerous works, including War Fairytales, Wings that Cut the Wind, A Story of Fire, and A Story of Water. In 2004, he launched the anti-war art project "PIKADON PROJECT," and in recent years, based in Kitakyushu, he has been involved in mural painting and live painting. He has received numerous awards, including the Kodansha Publishing Culture Award for Illustration in 1985 and the Japan Graphic Exhibition Artist of the Year Award in 1987.

Keisuke Nagatomo (1939-2017)

Born in Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, in 1939. Art director, graphic designer.
After graduating from Kuwasawa Design School and working at Nippon Design Center, he established the design unit "K2" with Seitaro Kuroda in 1969. He was active in a wide range of fields, including advertising, book design, editorial design, event planning, and illustration.

Known for his vivid sense of color and free-thinking designs, he left a significant mark on the Japanese graphic design world through his collaboration with Seitaro Kuroda. He art-directed the War Fairytales series and worked on numerous books, advertisements, and video projects. He received the Kodansha Publishing Culture Award for Illustration in 1984, the Japan Advertising Award Yamana Award in 2001, and the Kodansha Publishing Culture Award for Book Design in 2006. He also served as a visiting professor at Tokyo Zokei University and an advisor to the Graphic Design Department at Nippon Engineering College. He passed away in 2017.

< Related Figures >