Sadao Hasegawa, 1982-1991

Art

Skool
Art is not a thing, it is a way.

Japanese graphic artist Sadao Hasegawa was born in the Tokai area of Japan in 1955, and after taking up drawing in his twenties, his first exhibition Sadao Hasegawa's Alchemism-Meditation for 1973 debuted in Tokyo.

He combined depictions of the male physique, sex (often extreme, such as bondage and S&M), elaborate fantastic settings and Japanese, Indian, South-East Asian and African mythology, resulting in an intensely concentrated representation of stylised eroticism.

Whilst Hasegawa's work generated interest overseas, with contributions to magazines in the US and Europe, in Japan, his work has been largely overlooked. Sadao Hasegawa: Paintings and Drawings (Gay Men's Press, 1990), and Paradise Vision (Kochi Studio, 1996) have so far been the only collections of the artist's work.

Hasegawa refused to exhibit overseas, apparently not wanting to distribute his works abroad. He committed suicide on 20th November 1999 in Bangkok, Thailand, leaving only a small stone on which he had painted a portrait of Japanese author and poet Yukio Mishima, who had taken his own life one year earlier.

In the second of a three part series (1978-82 is here), KAOS takes a look at Hasegawa's early work.

Tear of Arunaya (1989).

Nawa V - Rope V (1983).

Son of Leopard II (1983).

Human Candlestick (1983).

Tattoo V (1984).

Hawk Boy (1985).

Boy With Dangling Rope.

Crystal I (1985).

Crystal II (1985).

Origination (1986).

Tomoe (1986).

Dream of a Dream (1986).

Ryu Tattoo I (1985).

Tattoo II (1985).

Tattoo III (1985).

Tattoo IV (1985).

Hu Jin Zu I - Wind God I (1986).

Hu Jin Zu II - Wind God II (1986).

Kintaro I - Carp Boy Tattoo (1986).

Kintaro II - Carp Boy Tattoo II (1986).

Secret Ritual (1987).

Ran Sei - The Hatching (1988).

Love (1989).

Mandi (1989).

Hindi I (1989).

Hindi II (1989).

Linga (1989).

Speedo (1991).

Swimmer.

Gilbert.

Next: Sadao Hasegawa 1991-99.