Hiroki Oda (1914-2012)

Known for his early adoption of Western painting techniques, Oda was born in the village of Senju in 1914. As a young man he enrolled in the Japan School of Art, graduating from their Western Painting Department in 1939. In 1960 he moved to France and was active in the artistic community while maintaining his ties to Japan with frequent trips back to the homeland.

Oda's life works have been preserved in the unique Hiroki Oda Museum in Gamo-gun, Shiga, Japan. The gallery was designed by Japanese Architect Tadao Ando specifically to provide the artist with a natural daylight environment within which to work. Natural light is obtained through the roof, the glass walls, and is reflected off the shallow pool in front of the building. The museum has no artificial lighting and closes at sunset and on cloudy days.

Oda passed away in 2012 at age 98 from heart failure.

Sources:
ahomina.com/art-hoard/hiroki-oda
dpalighting.com/