Virginia

From 1968 to 1971, Yamamoto Masamichi studied in Rome on an Italian government scholarship, and there he developed the distinctive style known as “landscape sculpture” inspired by Italian lifestyles and cityscapes. His works reinterpreting scenes (landscapes) in sculptural form have been highly lauded. Masamichi deals with the theme of weathering and degradation of human-made environments. In doing so, he renders forms simpler and more abstract while altering the proportions of figures and objects. The artist lived in the US from 1978 to 1980 as a Fulbright Arts Scholar. Virginia, one of the first places in the country settled by the British, presumably once bustled with activity. Today, it is characterized by a bucolic atmosphere and a slow pace of life. Born in Kyoto Prefecture, Masamichi is the son of ceramic artist Yamamoto Seinen. After completing the graduate program in sculpture at Tokyo University of the Arts, he continued his studies at the Accademia di Bell Arte in Rome. He has been awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon, and has been a professor at Tokyo University of the Arts. (A.J.)