2017 Volume 49 Issue 1 Pages 113-120
Taro Okamoto (1911–1996) commenced his activities as an artist in Japan after the war, and influenced multiple fields. One of Okamoto’s roles in modern times is thought to be his way of thinking about education. This research attempts to reveal his involvement in both art history and art education history, by focusing on his participation in the “Art Education Center,” a civil art education activity. Furthermore, the research reveals the way of thinking and the members of the “Institute of Esthetic Research,” which was established in the same period, and reflects on the activities in the 1950s, when indicators for the following period were developed. Okamoto’s involvement in educational activities were claims addressed to the public, and he was conscious of the necessity of art. For this reason, he aimed to form a unique way of thinking not with a narrow scope of individuals, but with a wide scope of communities. By clarifying matters regarding his interest in education and his actual activities, it is anticipated that new points of view will be added to the fundamental understanding of Okamoto.
