Mikio Yamauchi (1907-1975) "Singing in the Spring Breeze", Bronze, 1961

Mikio Yamauchi
Japan, 1907-1975
"Singing in the Spring Breeze", Bronze, 1961

"Singing in the Spring Breeze" is a bronze sculpture with a brown patina created by Mikio Yamauchi in 1961. It depicts a woman carrying a jug on her shoulder. The abstract form gracefully captures the woman's balance and posture. Her head, integrated into the fluid line of her body, and her arms elegantly positioned to hold the jug, highlight the fluidity of the curves and lines, evoking serenity and liveliness.

Mikio Yamauchi, also known as Yamauchi Takeo, was born on August 12, 1907, in the city of Iwamizawa, Hokkaido, and passed away on April 11, 1975. From a young age, he showed an interest in the arts. In 1921, he was admitted to the second government high school in Sapporo, where he befriended Arata Hongo. In 1925, he joined the Department of Crafts and Sculpture at the Tokyo Higher School of Arts and Crafts, now the Faculty of Engineering at Chiba University.
In 1927, a decisive encounter with Kotaro Takamura, facilitated by Shin Hongo, definitively oriented him towards sculpture. Two years later, he participated in his first Kokugakai exhibition. In 1931, he became a member of Michiten, where he exhibited sixteen times. In 1933 he became friends with Kokugakai, and in 1937, he obtained the status of doujin.
In 1939, he participated in the creation of the sculpture department of the Shinseisaku-ha association, marking an important step in his career. After the war, in 1949, he installed the "Monument to the Victims of the Workers' and Farmers' Movement" in Tsukisamu Park, a monumental work marking his post-conflict period.
In the following years, Yamauchi created several large-scale works, such as the "Mother and Child Statue" at the Nagasaki International Cultural Center in 1955, and "Kibou" at the Sapporo Civic Center in 1957. His talent was recognized at the Hibiya outdoor sculpture exhibition in 1958, and that same year, he presented "Song of the Forest" at the 5th International Art Exhibition of Japan.

In 1964, he collaborated with Arata Hongo and Tadayoshi Sato to create "Earth" for the headquarters of Hokkaido Bank. Three years later, he created the "Cenotaph for the War Victims of Niigata Prefecture" and the "Niigata Earthquake Reconstruction Monument" in Niigata City.
In 1970, he was appointed a member of the selection committee for the Teijiro Nakahara Prize. The following year, he produced "Monument of Lamentation," the first work of the Sunmi series, which addresses the Vietnam War. In 1972, he created the Sapporo Olympic Memorial "Hisho."
Yamauchi was deeply inspired by Japanese folklore and created works reflecting Japanese culture and beliefs or traditional Ainu dances, such as “Tsuru no Mai” (the crane dance), which is reflected in the movement and dynamics of his sculptures. An international influence is also visible, such as that of Zadkine or Henry Moore, particularly through the use of abstract forms and volumes to express beauty and serenity.
This sculpture is a vibrant testament to Yamauchi's work, blending Japanese tradition and modern influences
Wood and bronze base by Ateliers Punchinello. Height with base: 55 cm.
Approximately 51 x 15 x 10 cm.