The Art of Sushi and Sake
Matsumi ‘Mike’ Kanemitsu
By Nancy Uyemura
Kanemitsu was a second generation Japanese American painter who was active in the world of art for half a century, following World War II, first in the 1950’s and 1960’s in New York and then in Los Angeles from the latter 1960’s through the 1990’s.
Kanemitsu sensei (as most Japanese would have addressed him) has been gone now for over 15 years but his presence is still felt in his art, which is still being exhibited and enjoyed in both public and private collections globally. This short article will attempt to introduce him to a new generation of art lovers who may not be aware of his work. Hopefully it will entice you to find out more about this artist and attend the exhibition that is being planned for February of next year at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Kanemitsu was born the son of Japanese immigrants in 1922 in Ogden, Utah, from age 3 to 16 he was sent to live with his grandparents in Hiroshima. When he was 16, he traveled by himself to America and then returned to Japan the following year to finish his education. In 1940, with tensions mounting between the U.S. and Japan, he again returned to the U.S. and after his arrival, was drafted into the U.S. Army and entered the service. The Pacific War broke out soon after and for people of Japanese ancestry it was a time of difficult challenges and personal conflict. In the beginning, being a Kibei, it was hard for Kanemitsu to fit in anywhere. But soon he became known as a painter and had his first one-man show in the Service Club at Fort Riley, Kansas. He then went to Europe with the famed 442nd, which exposed him to more western art and culture.
After the war, he lived in Baltimore where he made his debut as a figurative artist and then in 1951 left for New York with the goal of becoming painter. In New York he studied with Yasuo Kuniyoshi at the Art Students’ League. The first half of the 1950’s his work was figurative, then with the death of Kuniyoshi in 1953, he turned to abstract expressionism and was known as a second generation abstract expressionist. He was a friend with artists like Jackson Pollock, Willem de kooning, Franz Kline and he gained support from Frank O’Hara of the Museum of Modern Art and art critic Harold Rosenberg. He showed his work at the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum and the Radich Gallery.
In addition, his connection to Japan enabled him to be in contact with Jiro Yoshihara of the“Gutai Group” and the “Boku-Bi” of Shiryu Morita. In1964, after an absence of 26 years, he returned to Japan.
In 1965, Kanemitsu moved from New York to Los Angeles. In the1970’s and 80’s his work took on a different look. The light made a big impact on his painting, emphasizing a trend toward romanticism as a color artist.
It was also during this time in California that Kanemitsu began making prints; He made wonderful lithographs at Tamarind Lithography Workshop through the invitation of its founder June Wayne and a Ford Foundation Grant. Ms. Wayne also produced a film on Lithography, “Four Stones For Kanemitsu” which is devoted to his art. The film was nominated for an academy award for best documentary. She writes,“Kanemitsu is a unique lithographer because he is a force of nature resonating within a piece of nature – the ancient limestone floating as an air-borne image.” If you have the opportunity to see this film it is a testament to the artistry of this man.
Rose Slivka, an art critic and poet wrote, “For Kanemitsu, everything had its place in the skills of living a life. He was a blue-collar Zen worker, practicing art as a steelworker on top of a skyscraper – as dangerous work requiring nothing less than the most consummate knowledge, instinct and skill, and more than that - doing it better than he knew how. That is exactly what Matsumi Kanemitsu’s art is about - it is about the artist reaching the state of art by doing it better than he knows how.”
On a more personal note, Kanemitsu was also a great sushi and sake lover. His favorite place to go was Shibucho. He would be there several times a week and would see other artists or friends there. It was during a time when you would walk in to find Sam Francis or Mikhail Baryshnikov sitting at a table near you. The sushi was excellent and the sake wonderful.
Sushi Shibucho is still in its original location with Shige-san, serving great sushi and sake. (3114 W. Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90057 (213) 387-8498.
Shibu Cho with the original owner, Shibutani-san has a new location in Costa Mesa. (590 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627 (949) 642-2677. Somehow, good art and good food seem to go hand in hand and there is always a connection with the Art of Sushi & Sake.
Kanemitsu will be exhibited in February 2008 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and his work is also in private collections throughout the southland. For further information: (213) 625-8259
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