Three Generations: Kunimatsu Family

Both Hokkaido and California occupy unique positions within their respective national cultures—geographic peripheries that have paradoxically become centers of innovation. Hokkaido, as Japan's northernmost island, developed its modern artistic identity later than the traditional cultural centers of Kyoto and Tokyo, fostering a distinct artistic sensibility shaped by its frontier history, indigenous Ainu heritage, and relationship to landscape. Similarly, California, and specifically the Bay Area, has cultivated artistic movements that challenge East Coast conventions while drawing on Pacific Rim influences.

The Kunimatsu family exhibition offers a chance for visitors to appreciate a rich artistic legacy passed across generations, fostering a sense of shared heritage and respect. 

This multigenerational perspective allows visitors to reflect on:

• The impact of historical events (World War II, post-war reconstruction, economic boom and recession, globalization) on artistic production
• The evolution of materials, techniques, and subject matter across three generations
• The negotiation between honoring tradition and asserting individual artistic voice
• The changing role of the artist in Japanese society from pre-war to contemporary periods

Noburu Kunimatsu (1910-1989) worked during Japan's tumultuous mid-20th century, experiencing both traditional training and the disruptions of war and modernization. Asuka Kunimatsu (1945- 2025) came of age during Japan's post-war reconstruction and economic miracle, bridging traditional craft practices with contemporary conceptual approaches. Kineta Kunimatsu (b. 1976) represents the generation of Japanese artists fully engaged with global contemporary art networks while maintaining a connection to family artistic heritage.

This small exhibition seeks to recognize the unique strength and beauty of a family dedicated to art through three generations. Family legacy is not common in the American art world, but the Kunimatsu family shows us a history of dedication to this tradition in Japan.

Three Generations: The Artistic Legacy of the Kunimatsu Family is curated by Kelly Detweiler, Professor, Department of Art and Art History and is offered as part of the de Saisset Museum’s Faculty-Driven Exhibition series, co-presented by SCU’s Center for the Arts and Humanities. Learn more about Detweiler’s connection to the Kunimatsu Family through a personal reflection included in the exhibition.