(Buenos Aires, 1927 - Dallas, 2001)
He was born in Buenos Aires in 1927. In 1934 he moved to Japan where he studied literature. On his return to Argentina he began to venture into painting starting from Japanese calligraphic tradition, a tradition with which he dialogue throughout his whole artistic career.
He presented his first solo exhibition in 1952 at Galería La Cueva. In addition to visual artist, he was a great diffuser of Japanese culture, orientalist, translator and director of collections on Asia, lover of music and teacher in different universities of Argentina, Mexico and the United States.
In 1963 he moved to the United States. The following year, invited by the Center for Oriental Studies of the College of Mexico, he settled in Mexico D.F. where he lived until 1974. There he began his geometric stage, being the first exhibition of geometric art in this country. He created the Independent Hall under the auspices of the Dirección General de Difusión Cultural de la Universidad Autónoma de México and was editor in chief and artistic director of the Plural magazine, directed by Octavio Paz. Also with Paz he fund in 1987 the Vuelta magazine. In 1977 he moved to Texas, settling in Dallas until his death.
Sakai participated in the Argentine representation to the VI International Biennial of Sao Paulo in 1961, and the XXXI Venice Biennial in 1962. He was distinguished with the following prizes: Gold medal, Universal Exhibition of Brussels, Belgium, 1958; First Prize, Premio Nacional de Pintura, Argentina, 1960; First Prize, Salón de Pintura actual, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1961.
His work is part of numerous international collections such as: Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Museo de Arte Moderno de México, DF; Museo de Arte Internacional "Rufino Tamayo", México, DF; Museu de Arte Moderna, Río de Janeiro, Brazil; MoMA Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA; National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Japón, Museum of Modern Art, Tel Aviv, Israel, among many others.
He was born in Buenos Aires in 1927. In 1934 he moved to Japan where he studied literature. On his return to Argentina he began to venture into painting starting from Japanese calligraphic tradition, a tradition with which he dialogue throughout his whole artistic career.
He presented his first solo exhibition in 1952 at Galería La Cueva. In addition to visual artist, he was a great diffuser of Japanese culture, orientalist, translator and director of collections on Asia, lover of music and teacher in different universities of Argentina, Mexico and the United States.
In 1963 he moved to the United States. The following year, invited by the Center for Oriental Studies of the College of Mexico, he settled in Mexico D.F. where he lived until 1974. There he began his geometric stage, being the first exhibition of geometric art in this country. He created the Independent Hall under the auspices of the Dirección General de Difusión Cultural de la Universidad Autónoma de México and was editor in chief and artistic director of the Plural magazine, directed by Octavio Paz. Also with Paz he fund in 1987 the Vuelta magazine. In 1977 he moved to Texas, settling in Dallas until his death.
Sakai participated in the Argentine representation to the VI International Biennial of Sao Paulo in 1961, and the XXXI Venice Biennial in 1962. He was distinguished with the following prizes: Gold medal, Universal Exhibition of Brussels, Belgium, 1958; First Prize, Premio Nacional de Pintura, Argentina, 1960; First Prize, Salón de Pintura actual, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1961.
His work is part of numerous international collections such as: Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Museo de Arte Moderno de México, DF; Museo de Arte Internacional "Rufino Tamayo", México, DF; Museu de Arte Moderna, Río de Janeiro, Brazil; MoMA Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA; National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Japón, Museum of Modern Art, Tel Aviv, Israel, among many others.