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1929 0 year old |
Born February 19th, father Esho and mother Haru in Himonya, Meguro-ku, Tokyo. Eldest sister, Emiko, was three years old at that time.
Father Esho born in December 1900 in Koukakuji Temple in Satomotoe Higashimasuho-mura, Sakui-gun, Ishikawa-ken, as the second son of Jodo Shinshu Kokakuji Temple. Mother Haru was born in March 1899 in Oshimacho, Fukagawa. |
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1930 11 months old |
| February 12th, father Esho passed away at age 30. |
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1933 4 years old |
| Mother Haru remarried to Jugoro Yoshida. Kiyoshi was 4 years old and Emiko was 7 yeas old. |
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1935 6 years old |
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"Tokyo Three-Penny Operetta" |
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Entered Ishibumi Elementary School.
Around this time, Kiyoshi frequently witnessed a blind man and woman beggar couple who wandered around the Himonya region. Kiyoshi vividly remembered the couple, who were linked with a rope and who took care of each other and went from door to door begging. Artistic works such as Tsunagi Kojiki (short story published in the literary coterie magazine Uta founded by poets Tetsuo Shimizu, Ben Shozu, et al.) and The Tokyo Three-penny Operetta (a 1976 play written by Kiyoshi Awazu and directed by Shoichi Ozawa, the leader of Geinoza Theatrical Troop) were based on the memories of these blind beggars. |
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1941 12 years old |
Graduated from elementary school.
Entered Rissho Commercial School (part time) and became an assistant at Ujiie Institute (a plant that produced rotary press and copying press machines).
After 1 ½ years, Awazu left Ujiie Institute and became an assistant at the Contraction and Furnishing Union (CFU) in Meguro. This is where Awazu met finishing carpenter Torakichi Akiyama of Kamimeguro and gained understanding of "space" by looking at aesthetic homes and "ranma" (transom)" that Akiyama had created.
Awazu was influenced by Seitaro Sato, an older CFU secretary, to investigate Christianity and Tanka & he visited used bookstores to further explore the subjects. The first book Awazu purchased at a used bookstore was "Akifuucho" by Kunio Yanagida.
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1945 16 years old |
After meeting with philosopher Kenichi Tada, Awazu became interested in philosophy.
Graduated Rissho Commercial School in only 4 years, and entered Hosei University's professional school of industrial management. He left after a year.
Awazu went on "foraging trips" to support his family's finance.
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1946 17 years old |
In April, Awazu was employed by the National Railroad System's Meguro Station as a ticket collector.
Attended the "Social Science Research Society" and started learning about Marx and Lenin. |
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1947 18 years old |
Step-father, Jugoro Yoshida, passed away.
In the dreary post-war time, Awazu read any books that were available and watched movies whenever he could.
He saw silent movies by Chaplin, pre-war masterpieces such as Rene Clair and Duvivier, Italian realism and American western movies. Experimental films and avant guard films, especially works by Joris Ivens, impacted his film making in later years.
He started teaching himself drawing by sketching from frontispieces in old art magazines such as "Seikatsu Bijutu Magazine" and "Mizue Magazine". |
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1948 19 years old |
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Left the National Railroad System and joined Sakuga Kai Co. in Asakusa Torigoe. This company was a subcontractor for Nikkatu Movie Co., which edited and printed movie programs, and produced billboards and other advertising materials. Awazu was a carrier for this company.
Awazu became keenly interested in design and art during this period, and received his first lessons in sketching and esquisse from Yuji Ishizaka of Kodo Bijutus.
Awazu made most of his figure drawings while riding trains. He first cut straw papers in half and placed about fifty sheets on a veneer board with a bull nose clip. He then rode on Yamanote Line trains and sketched passengers. The Yananote-Line was a moving art studio for him.
He became a member of a literary coterie magazine "Togen Bungaku", and contributed short stories, relics and haikus.
The era was domestically and internationally chaotic. Awazu joined the Communist Party in the fall in spite of his doubt about Marxism. (After experiencing many struggles, the party activities ended in July 1955 when the secession was initiated by Rokuzenkyo Hihan.) |
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1950 21 years old |
In February, Awazu submitted works to the third Nihon Andepandan Exhibit sponsored by the Nihon Bijyutsu Kai (founded in 1947).
Awazu left Nihon Saguga Kai, and started making rough sketches for animations for Nihon Animation Co. in Ebisu. |
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1954 25 years Old |
Through an introduction by Yoshio Itabashi, well known for his poster design for movies such as "Casablanca", "Gas Light" and "The Arc de Triomphe", Awazu obtained a part time position at Dokuritsu Eiga Co. in the advertisement department. His main tasks were drawing rough drafts of movie fliers and making block copies.
Through a friend, Yoshimi Nara (currently the president of the Film Art Publishing Co.), Awazu had his first opportunity to design a poster for Shinkyo Gekidan Theatrical Troop’s play "Ishikarigawa". Subsequently, he produced posters for Shinkyo Gekidan (lead by Tomoyoshi Murayama), Zenshinza and Shinseisakuza theatrical troops. |
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1955 26 years old |
In May, he married Yaeko Shibuya.
In August, he submitted work to the annual Nissenbi (Japan Advertising Artists'Club) Exhibition which started a public contest for best artwork in 1953. Awazu won the Grand Prize for his poster named "Umi wo Kaese" (Give Our Sea Back), picturing an angry fisherman deprived of his ocean by the military maneuvers field.
One year after joining Dokuritsu Eiga Co., Awazu produced his long-waited first movie poster for the "Battle of the Rails" (director Rene Clement).
In November, he left Dokuritsu Eiga Co. for Nikkatsu Movie Production Co. as a part time employee in the advertisement department where he worked mainly on poster design for its "minor" line movies. |
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1956 27 years old |
In August, Awazu earned another Nissenbi award for his posters for Shinkyo Gekidan's "Nekrasov" and for Nikkatsu's "Waga Matchi" and became a Nissenbi member.
Around this time, designer Kohei Sugiwara earned the Nissenbi Grand Prize for his "Record Jacket".
In September, his daughter Miho was born.
In November, he moved from Meguro, Tokyo to Ikuta on the Odakyu Line. |
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1957 28 years old |
He produced many movie and theater posters including Nikattsu's "Koya Hijiri", "Harp of Burma" and "Children Who Draw" (Director Susumu Hani's debut movie). Many of these posters were made for the overseas market. Awazu made posters for several theatrical troops: "Bandits Running Through the Wind" for Shinseisakuza, "Tosyusai Sharaku" for Zenshinza, Bunkaza and Shinkyo Gekidan.
Awazu's illustrations during this period were perhaps influenced by artist Ben Shahn, whose line-drawing illustrations had heightened his desire to draw and to illustrate.
Through Hisatoshi Saito, the owner of Saito Process Printing House, Awazu met designers Kohei Sugiwara and Akira Uno. Awazu often worked jointly on design projects with Sugiura. For example, Awazu drew the Gensuikyo poster "To the United Nations General Assembly" and Sugiura did the layout.
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1958 29 years old |
Awarded the First Prize at the World Film-Poster Contest held in Paris, France.
Left Nikkatsu Movie Production Co.
Around this time, Awazu started using fingerprints in his design. Applying a trial-and-error method, his exploration of many means and processes later lead to usage of patterns such as maps, stamps, hand prints and compasses.
Also during this period, Awazu start questioning design's meanings and functionality. He discovered great talents such as George Keeps, Moholy-Nagy, Herbert Beyer, and learned about their ideas from published collections of their works. He also read books by leading theorists such as Herbert Reed.
Awazu was asked to join the Japan Design Center, Co., but he declined membership and maintained his autonomy as a designer.
Illustration for the children's book "Remi Is Alive". |
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1959 30 years old |
| In October, the Japanese team for the World Design Conference set to open in 1960 was assembled. Architects Fumihiko Maki and Noboru Kawazoe, industrial designers Kenji Ekuan and Shoichi Kawai and graphic designer Kiyoshi Awazu were steering members of the team. |
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