Kiyoshi Awazu, a renowned graphic designer, died Tuesday afternoon of pneumonia at a hospital in Kawasaki, his family said Friday. He was 80.
A native of Tokyo, Awazu was known for engaging in a wide range of activities ranging from urban design to exhibition design as well as art direction for films.
In 1955, he received an award from the Japan Advertising Artists Club for his poster “Give Back the Sea,” which was based on the wrath of fishermen protesting U.S. military bases in Japan. He later produced numerous posters for films and theatrical works.
The designer formed a group in 1960 with architects including Kisho Kurokawa to promote the “metabolism” movement to conceptualize their works. They used the biological term to symbolize a metropolis as a living organism.
He also designed an amusement park set up for the 1970 Japan World Exposition held in Osaka and a pavilion for the 1985 International Exposition in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture.
Awazu, who was also an associate professor at Musashino Art University and a professor at Kyoto University of Art and Design, was awarded a silver medal at the 1970 Warsaw International Poster Biennale. In 1990, he was awarded a Medal with Purple Ribbon by the Japanese government.
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