From a Buddhist monastery in Japan to an art legend in LA

KCET
By Jeremy Rosenberg

Hirokazu Kosaka: From a Buddhist Monastery in Japan to an Art Legend in L.A.

CALIFORNIA - Today, we hear from Hirokazu Kosaka, artistic director of the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center. "I was born in Wakayama Prefecture, which is a very ancient part of Japan. We moved to Kyoto when I was little.  Where I came from was very traditional. My home was an 800-year-old Buddhist monastery. I was raised as a monk. I was trained in different disciplines such as calligraphy and Japanese archery. In 1966, I came here to attend what was called the Chouinard Art Institute and is now CalArts. I didn't speak English well but since it was a visual arts college, I just intermingled into the curriculum. Coming to the United States was a shocking experience. At Chouinard, every person had incredible individualism. Where I came from, all of the men wore shaven heads and black and white clothing an their character was not shown. [link]