In 1937 ‘Oku’ was born in Tianjin, China to Japanese parents. He studied graphic design in Tokyo and upon moving to the states he began painting using bright acrylic paints. He opened his studio in New York in 1968 and held his first solo exhibition in Philadelphia the following year. He went on to exhibit across Holland, Germany, Japan and the U.S. His work was featured in the acclaimed 1970 Whitney Museum exhibition “Symbols and Images.”
In 1970, Okumura shifted towards silk screen-printing. His figures are characterized by their straightforward silent expressions, they evoke the manner of Byzantine icons, while the bright colors and modern themes anchor his work in the 20th century. Oku often included a pet in his pieces to emphasize the human need for companionship. He was accompanied by an English bulldog, Betty.
