森山安英 Yasuhide Moriyama

1936年八幡市（現・北九州市八幡東区）生まれ。現在も北九州市戸畑在住のアーティスト。
1955年に佐賀大学特設美術科に入学したが、間もなく除籍となる。1960年代初頭から作品制作を始めると同時に、街頭で検便用のマッチ箱に汚物を入れ、街頭で配る等、過激なパフォーマンスを行った。この時期、先行する前衛美術グループ「九州派」の強い影響を受けながら、1968年に地元作家たちとともに「集団蜘 蛛」を結成し、まもなく3人のメンバーに少数精鋭化されると、既存の美術団体や権威、さらに同時代の前衛運動も標的に、あらゆる芸術表現を否定する過激な ハプニングを繰り返した。

1970年、福岡県立伝習館高校の教師処分に反対する運動に参加し、公然猥褻物図画陳列罪で逮捕され、裁判闘争は1973年まで続いた。その後、15年の長い沈黙を経て、1987年から銀一色の絵画作品の制作を開始し、現在に至るまで大量の絵画作品を残してきた。初期作品は、全面銀色のオールオーバーな抽象絵画で、絵の具を流し込む技法が特徴であり、その後2000年以降は、豊富な色彩やかたちをの具象的絵画を主に制作している。


Yasuhide Moriyama
Artist, Activiist / Kitakyushu Japan
Yasuhide Moriyama is an artist who lives and works in Kitakyushu. In 1960’s Moriyama formed Anti-Art group named “Shudan Kumo” (Spider Group). Active between 1968 - 1973, the group is known for its extreme and sometimes explicit public performance. After he dismantled the group, he stopped any art activities and remained absent from the public light for 15 years. In 1987 he suddenly started painting and came back to the art scene. Since then he has made hundreds of paintings until now. This year, from May to June, his retrospective was held at Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art, presenting painting works through his 30 years career as a painter.

Shudan Kumo
Shudan Kumo is an anti-art collective, which conducted a series of performances in Northern Kyushu area between 1968 and 1973. Main members included Shigeto Harumoto, Yasuhide Moriyama, and Isao Kato. Although the group had, at one point, about ten members, it ended as the Moriyama’s solo project in the last few years. Although Kumo lasted only for five years, their existence remained strong impressions to their contemporaries. After the end of Kumo, Moriyama hid himself from the public for about fifteen years until his new departure as a painter in 1987.

Japan’s anti-art/avant-garde art movement was active between the late 50s and the early 70s. The main actors of the movements include Zero-jigen (zero dimension), High Red Center, Neo Dadaism Organizers, Gutai, and Kyuhu-ha (Kyushu School). Their actions were characterized by its criticism against institutionalization of art, and its interest towards social and political matters. In addition, the artists who lived outside Tokyo showed their anti-Tokyo attitude and commitment to the local politics in their actions. Kumo started in the last years of the larger anti-art movement, and was influenced by its local counterpart Kyushu-ha.