Artist Biography

Keizan Shibata was a famous calligrapher and educator from Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan. He served as the chairman of Tokachi Calligraphy Education Association, reviewer of the Japan Modern Poetry Writers Association, vice chairman of Obihiro City Social Welfare Council, vice chairman of Social Education Promotion Committee and so on, making great contributions to the development and appreciation of calligraphy, education and social welfare sector of the local community. He was also the examiner of numerous calligraphy associations and exhibitions, such as the Daily Calligraphy Exhibition and Hokkaido Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition.

In 1961, he received the Hokkaido Obihiro City Cultural Award. In 1968, at the 20th anniversary celebration of the establishment of the PTA in Japan attended by the then crown prince and his wife, he received a certificate of appreciation as one of the PTA contributors. His works were exhibited at the Centennial Exhibition of the Birth of Hidai Tenrai, who is known as the “father of modern Japanese calligraphy”. He held 9 calligraphy solo exhibitions during his lifetime, one in Tokyo during 1980 to celebrate his 60th birthday. In 2010, a teacher-student exhibition of him and his mentor, Suihō Kuwahara (once the calligraphy teacher of the Crown Prince of Japan) was held at the Obihiro Centennial Hall. Calligraphy work of Keizan Shibata is included in the museum collection of the Hakodate Museum of Art in Hokkaido.