Poet, art critic, and sculptor. Put great effort towards the introduction and proliferation of surrealism in Japan, and was a pillar of theoretical and spiritual support for the Japanese avant-garde from the pre- to post-war periods. Born in Toyama Prefecture in 1903. Translated the entirety of Andre Breton's "Surrealism and Painting" while a student at Keio University (1930), and presented a series of experimental poems. Graduated in 1931 and worked at the film company PCL until around 1936. At around that time, he communicated through mail with Breton, translated texts related to surrealism, and published art criticisms. In 1937, organized the Overseas Surrealist Works Exhibition with Yamanaka Sansei. He provided leadership for many avant-garde groups, but was marked as dangerous by the Special Police and was arrested and detained in 1941. Takiguchi resumed his activity after the war. From 1951 to 1957, he planned Takemiya Gallery's 208th exhibition, where he dug up such artists as Kawara On, Kusama Yayoi, and Kanou Mitsuo. He also supported the activity of Jikken Kobo, the group founded by Kitadai Shozo, Yamaguchi Katsuhiro, Takemitsu Toru, and Yuasa Joji. In 1958, he traveled to Europe as a commissioner for the Venice Biennale (where he voted for L. Fontana); there, he spoke with Breton, Duchamp, and Dali.

From around 1960, he began making his own unique works including his delcalcomanie, and held five solo exhibitions. During Akasegawa Genpei's "1,000 yen note incident" (1965-1970), Takiguchi acted as a special defence counsel. In 1963, he planned the imaginary opening of the non-existent "objet shop", for which he borrowed the name "Rrose Selavy" with the blessing of Marcel Duchamp himself. He continued his Duchamp research until his death in 1979.

Major published works include "Modern Art" (1938), "Miro" (1940), "Writing in the Margins" (1960), "Takiguchi Shuzo's Poetic Experiments 1927~1937" (1967), "For Surrealism" (1968), and others.

Works he made in collaboration with sculptors include "Distance from fairies" with Abe Yoshifumi (Tenya) (1937), "Sphinx" with Q Ei, Kitagawa Tamiji, Izumi Shigeru, Toneyama Kojin, and Aohara Toshiko (1954), "To and From Rrose Selavy" which includes works from Duchamp, Jasper Johns, Jean Tinguely, and Arakawa Shusaku (1968), "Handmade Poems" with Joan Miro (1970), "With Miro and the stars", also with Miro (1979), "The Large Glass" with Okazaki Kazuo (1977), and others.

(Text by Nobuhiko TSUCHIBUCHI)