YANAGISAWA Noriko
（1940-）

Born 1940 in Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka. Graduated from Hamamatsu Municipal Senior High School, and from Tokyo University of the Arts Oil Painting Graduate Program in 1965. Studied oil painting under Hayashi Takeshi as an undergraduate, and studied copperplate printing from Komai Tetsuro during her graduate program. This was the golden age of Komai's classroom, which produced such talents as Nakabayashi Tadayoshi, Noda Tetsuya, and Hara Takeshi. In 1964, was awarded the Japan Hanga Association Award. Went to the United States in 1964 and stayed for four years. Created works at the New York Printmaking Workshop. After returning to Japan, based herself in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka, and continued her work, primarily making copperplate prints from etchings. 1983, had a two person show at Ikeda Musem of 20th Century Art. 1984, published a collection "To the sea" with poems by Okada Takahiko (Gendai Hanga Center).

2001, awarded the 10th Yamaguchi Gen Award. Has held solo exhibitions around the world in places including World Bank Art Society (Washington DC), the National Gallery of Bulgaria, Tikotin Museum of Art (Israel), the National Museum of Art of Romania, Pinacoteca de São Paulo (Brazil), Kakegawa City Ninomaru Art Museum, and Hillside Forum. Yanagisawa's work pursues "the relationship between body and spirit"; images like ammonites and wings, ships, water, and trees layer onto the drawn body;
the work resonates with diverse themes such as man and nature, civilization, and time. She actively approaches new works such as "test-zone", with the theme of nuclear technology, as well as large scale mixed media works using washi paper. She taught at Musashino Art University from 2003-11.