Canadian painter and printmaker Takao Tanabe will have his work on display in Kelowna for all Okanagan residents to enjoy from July 1 to Oct. 1.
“Takao Tanabe’s work contains so much raw physical and emotional power within them,” says Nataley Nagy, executive director at the Kelowna Art Gallery.
“We are very honoured to present this first within Canada, a 75-year-survey of Tanabe’s accomplished printmaking, with work borrowed from the Vancouver Art Gallery and Winnipeg Art Gallery.”
Some of Tanabe’s earliest works will be on display, including two linocut Christmas Cards from 1948, to his more recent pieces like Coromant Island completed earlier this year at the age of 96.
Born on the north coast in Prince Rupert, Tanabe is the son of a commercial fisherman.
He studied at Winnipeg School of Art from 1946 to 1949 and then headed to the Brooklyn Museum Art School to pursue his art studies.
After completing school, Tanabe travelled Europe for a couple years before returning to B.C. to build his career as an artist.
Tanabe was the recipient of the Governor General’s Award in 2003 and has received two honourary degrees, one from the Order of British Columbia and the other from the Order of Canada.
