Shinjo Ito (1906-1989), founder of the Shinnyo-en stream of Buddhism, was one of Japan's most versatile Buddhist sculptors and an accomplished artist in fields as diverse as calligraphy and photography. Throughout his life he created countless artworks as a way of giving form to his deeply held faith-in 1957 producing probably his greatest milestone, the Great Parinirvana Image: a 16-foot (480 cm) long statue of Buddha Shakyamuni about to enter nirvana.
This website complements the large-scale exhibition of Shinjo's work, The Vision and Art of Shinjo Ito, which began touring the world in 2006, as well as the accompanying art book of the same title. These materials fully reveal for the first time Shinjo's unique capacity to meld spirituality and artistry, as well as realism and interpretation. Together they make an inspirational testimony to one of Japan's most significant modern religious artists.
Also visit:
Shinjo Ito Center
Italiano
The Book:
Alinari