On Kawara

(Japanese, 1933–2014)

On Kawara was an influential Japanese Conceptual artist. Best known for his Today series of paintings, Kawara produced simple, two-color acrylic paintings to document each day he woke up alive in the date, language, and format of the place in which they were made. He made almost 3,000 of these paintings in 112 different cities between January 4, 1966 and his death in 2014, with the body of work serving as an examination of the banality of existence and the passage of time. Born on December 24, 1932 in Kariya, Japan, he went on to study art and travel in Mexico where his father was the director of an engineering company. Much of Kawara’s later life was spent traveling between New York and Paris, marking the differences of life around the world through his serial artworks. He exhibited at several documenta events in Kassel, the Dia Art Foundation in New York, the Venice Biennale, the Kyoto Biennale, and the Tokyo Biennale, among others. Today, his works are in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Kunstmuseum Basel in Switzerland, and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, among others. Kawara died on July 10, 2014 in New York, NY.

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On Kawara Artworks

Artworks for Sale &
Auction Results

On Kawara (337 results)
Sept. 10, 1967, 1967

On Kawara

Sept. 10, 1967, 1967

Sale Date: May 13, 2009

Auction Closed

8 Jan. 1973, 1973

On Kawara

8 Jan. 1973, 1973

Sale Date: February 5, 2009

Auction Closed

I got up (set of 3), 1969

On Kawara

I got up (set of 3), 1969

Sale Date: December 13, 2008

Auction Closed

June 19, 1967, 1967

On Kawara

June 19, 1967, 1967

Sale Date: November 12, 2008

Auction Closed

April 18, 1986, 1986

On Kawara

April 18, 1986, 1986

Sale Date: November 13, 2008

Auction Closed

One million years (Past and future 51-62)..., 2007

On Kawara

One million years (Past and future 51-62)..., 2007

Sale Date: October 28, 2008

Auction Closed

September 10, 1967, 1967

On Kawara

September 10, 1967, 1967

Sale Date: October 17, 2008

Auction Closed

I got up, 1970

On Kawara

I got up, 1970

Sale Date: July 2, 2008

Auction Closed

Dec. 27, 1990, 1990

On Kawara

Dec. 27, 1990, 1990

Sale Date: May 14, 2008

Auction Closed

Nov 11 (from Today series; in 10 parts), 1990–1999

On Kawara

Nov 11 (from Today series; in 10 parts), 1990–1999

Sale Date: May 13, 2008

Auction Closed

I got up at 1. 46 P.M., 1969

On Kawara

I got up at 1. 46 P.M., 1969

Sale Date: April 5, 2008

Auction Closed

I am still alive, 1982

On Kawara

I am still alive, 1982

Sale Date: April 2, 2008

Auction Closed

I am still alive, 1984

On Kawara

I am still alive, 1984

Sale Date: April 2, 2008

Auction Closed

Artist's Studio, N.Y. in 1966 (from..., 1964–1995

On Kawara

Artist's Studio, N.Y. in 1966 (from..., 1964–1995

Sale Date: March 14, 2008

Auction Closed

December 5, 1990, 1990

On Kawara

December 5, 1990, 1990

Sale Date: February 28, 2008

Auction Closed

19.Okt.1976, 1976

On Kawara

19.Okt.1976, 1976

Sale Date: November 16, 2007

Auction Closed

I am still alive, 2000

On Kawara

I am still alive, 2000

Sale Date: November 15, 2007

Auction Closed

Apr. 22, 1967, 1967

On Kawara

Apr. 22, 1967, 1967

Sale Date: November 14, 2007

Auction Closed

Dec. 1 1974 (+ 6 others; 7 works from Today..., 1974

On Kawara

Dec. 1 1974 (+ 6 others; 7 works from Today..., 1974

Sale Date: November 14, 2007

Auction Closed

Friday Mar. 22 (from Today series), 1991

On Kawara

Friday Mar. 22 (from Today series), 1991

Sale Date: October 13, 2007

Auction Closed

Jan. 4 (Today series), 1990

On Kawara

Jan. 4 (Today series), 1990

Sale Date: October 16, 2007

Auction Closed

December 6, 1967

On Kawara

December 6, 1967

Sale Date: October 12, 2007

Auction Closed

Untitled (from the series I Got Up), 1976

On Kawara

Untitled (from the series I Got Up), 1976

Sale Date: July 27, 2007

Auction Closed

I got up (in 72 parts), 1970–1973

On Kawara

I got up (in 72 parts), 1970–1973

Sale Date: June 21, 2007

Auction Closed

English (US)

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