Chihiro
Shimotani

下谷 千尋
Chihiro Shimotani, born in 1934 in Sakurai, Japan, is a renowned artist known for his contributions to conceptual art, concrete art, drawing, sculpture, and art with architecture. He gained international recognition when he participated in the 1973 São Paulo Biennale, where he was awarded the Grand Prize.
Shimotani received a scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and spent 1975 to 1977 in Berlin. In 1977, he participated in documenta 6 in Kassel. He later served as a visiting professor at the Munich Art Academy in 1988/89 and taught at the Summer Academies of Salzburg and Neuburg on the Danube.
Since his debut exhibition in 1966, Shimotani has showcased his work in numerous solo and group exhibitions worldwide. His art can be found in collections and museums globally, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum in Tokyo, as well as the Staatsgalerie Stuttgart and the Lenbachhaus in Munich.
The artist has also left his mark on public spaces through various art projects. Notable examples include installations at the Pax Christi Church in Krefeld (1980), the European Patent Office in Munich (1992 and 2004), and the Osaka Securities Exchange (2011).
Shimotani's artistic materials often derive from nature, encompassing stones, wood, metal, paper, gold, earth, wax, plants, snow, ice, and water. He frequently incorporates words, carving, milling, or embossing them into his pieces. Themes of language, writing, time, and impermanence pervade his artistic endeavors.
In 2008, Shimotani created "Vocalize," inspired by a poem by Arthur Rimbaud, associating vowels with colors and characteristics. This work features Rimbaud's poetic formulations carved into colored metal plates, transforming them into visual-textual panels. Shimotani draws inspiration from the works of Mishima Yukio and the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, turning their literary expressions into visual works of art.
Throughout his distinguished career, Shimotani has received numerous prestigious awards:
1995
1st prize: Design Project for the forecourt of the Schörghuber Group headquarters, Munich
1976
Berlin Artists Program of the DAAD, Berlin
1973
São Paulo Biennale (Grand Prize)
1972
Japan Art Festival, Central Museum, Tokyo (Ministry of Foreign Affairs Prize)
1972
Tokyo International Print Biennale, Tokyo (Grand Prize)
Shimotani's works can be found in various public spaces and institutions:
2011
Osaka Stock Exchange
2004
Two light sculptures, EPA Munich
2002
Wall relief The World Essity, Mannheim
1995
Wall relief for the new building of the Heilbronner Stimme publishing house, Heilbronn
1992
Design of the courtyard of the European Patent Office, Munich
1980
Pax Christi Church, Krefeld
These public works demonstrate Shimotani's mastery of integrating art with architecture and public spaces, often incorporating natural materials and text in innovative ways.
Explore more about Chihiro's work through these resources:




