Profile

Born in Tokyo in 1950, Toshiro Sawanuki began his career as an art director for popular Japanese and joint Japan -US television programs and films. After earning recognition for his prodigious talent, Sawanuki decided in 1989 to devote himself to the creation of space art. With an œuvre numbering more than 400 original acrylics, Sawanuki is renowned for his depictions of the infinite universe and peaceful planets as well as for his devotion to humanity, harmony and joy.

As an official artist of the U.N. NGO WAFUNIF (The World Association of Former United Nations Interns and Fellows; www.wafunif.org ), Sawanuki uses his space art to promote the U.N. Culture of Peace campaign known formally as the "United Nations International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World" proclaimed by the "Resolution 53/25" of the United Nations General Assembly. The decade spans the years 2001 through 2010.

In 2005, his piece Shining Forever was on official display at the Japanese Government Pavilion at the World Expo in Aichi, Japan, the theme of which was "Nature's Wisdom". The following year, Japan Post adopted the space art for official postal stamps commemorating the 50 years of Japan's accession to the United Nations; the stamps were issued on September 29, 2006 during the International Letter Writing Week.

In July 2008, his Peaceful Planet was displayed at the G8 summit in Hokkaido, Japan.
Earlier the year, Control Energy was presented to NASA for its Art Program while its companion piece was presented to Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) collection in December.
Harmony of the Universe; the first full-scale U.S. exhibition of Sawanuki's best work was held at the Museum of Flight (Seattle) from September 2008 to January 2009.
His Activities to promote the U.N. "Culture of Peace" was presented at the United Nations inter-agency initiative, the Creative Economy for Development Programme in October 2010 in Shanghai.

	TOSHIRO SAWANUKI
Shining forever Special Exhibition at World EXPO 2005