The "explosion" of Taro Okamoto: his upbringing, his thoughts, and the power of words

by kataokatetsuya October 13, 2025

1. The explosion is a prayer to the universe

"Art is an explosion!"

These words are not just a quirky catchphrase. For Taro Okamoto, "explosion" was an act of opening up one's whole body and soul to the universe.

It is a fundamental cry of life, similar to the undulations of Jomon pottery. It is the moment when the energy sleeping deep within a human being erupts all at once, transcending logic and calculation. Okamoto saw art as a "phenomenon" rather than an "expression." In other words, art is not something that "represents" something, but something that "happens." This is precisely why it is an explosion.

The budding of spring, the thunder of summer, the changing leaves of autumn, the silence of winter - even the workings of nature - to him, everything explodes. The moment a bud breaks the earth and peeks out, the moment thunder splits the sky, the moment the leaves turn fiery red, the moment snow envelops everything. All of these may have been "art" in which the energy of the universe transformed.

Taro Okamoto's "explosion" was not destruction, but a prayer, a celebration, and an affirmation of life.

2. Upbringing: A boy raised among contradictions

Taro Okamoto was born in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1911. His father was the satirical cartoonist Ippei Okamoto, and his mother was the novelist and poet Kanoko Okamoto. Although he grew up in an artistic family, his home life was by no means peaceful.

His parents' relationship was complicated, and his mother, Kanoko, lived a free-spirited life that was considered unorthodox by the standards of her time. She was devoted to Buddhism and mysticism, and sought love beyond the family. His father, Ippei, also loved art and freedom, but tensions always hung over the family home. His mother's attempted suicide also cast a deep shadow over the young Taro's heart.

Amidst this chaos, Okamoto began searching for his own path. At the age of 17, he traveled alone to Paris, where he studied philosophy at the Sorbonne and painting at the École des Beaux-Arts. Inspired by Surrealism and deeply impressed by Picasso's paintings, the young man declared that he would "surpass Picasso."

However, his eyes were always on "Japan surpassing the West." When he encountered Jomon pottery, he found "energy that surpasses Picasso." Rather than imitating the West, he wanted to unearth the "explosion" that lay at the roots of Japan. This became the starting point for his art.

3. Philosophy: The dangerous path is your path

Taro Okamoto's ideas were always "contrarian."

"Any road that seems dangerous is always the road you want to take."

As symbolized by this phrase, he always distanced himself from "stability" and "common sense." In both art and society, he rejected "comfort."

"Art today should not be good. It should not be pretty. It should not be comfortable."

This declaration is a scathing critique of art that is bound by technique and evaluation, and at the same time, it is also a challenge to all artists. Rather than beauty or perfection, what matters is how "alive" it is. How "serious" it is. Okamoto sought to breathe life into his works.

This attitude is both frightening and beautiful, like a spring storm: unpredictable, sometimes destructive, but sure to bring new life.

For WABISUKE readers, there is surely a path that draws them to a frightening degree. Even if no one understands or appreciates it, there is an impulse inside of you that makes you think, "This is it." This may be the very seed of the "explosion" that Taro Okamoto spoke of.

4. Famous Quotes - Words are also art

Taro Okamoto's words are as vivid as his paintings. His words are not just a message, but a "work," an "act," and an "explosion."

・Have some poison inside you!

・Listen, the scarier you are, the more you should jump in

The purpose of life is not to attain enlightenment. It is to live. Humans are animals.

These words reveal a different landscape every time you read them. Just like seasonal words, they resonate differently depending on the season and your state of mind.

In spring, the seeds of challenge appear, and in summer, the flames of passion burn. In autumn, the fruits of solitude are felt, and in winter, a quiet resolve takes root in the heart. Words change the landscape. Words change the way we live. For Taro Okamoto, words were also art.

5. WABISUKE's White Space - Taro and the Colors of the Seasons

Taro Okamoto's philosophy resonates deeply with the "seasonal color names" that WABISUKE values.

For example, "moe-giji" (light green). It is not just the color of young leaves. It is the color of the energy hidden within before diving into a new world. It is truly the color of "the eve of an explosion."

What about "Benihi" (Crimson Red)? It's a fiery red, but it's not just passion. Rather, it's the color of "the determination to burn out." Risking everything, burning everything up. There is a landscape that can only be seen beyond that.

"Shironeri" is not innocence, but the serenity that comes after accepting everything. Like snow in winter, it is a color that covers everything and forgives everything.

It might be interesting to have a series that combines Taro Okamoto's words with the names of seasonal colors. Colors represent the temperature of emotions and the contours of ideas. When words and colors resonate with each other, a new "explosion" is born.

6. In conclusion: The explosion is within you

Taro Okamoto's way of life is something that can never be imitated, but his words and works awaken the "explosion" within us.

The path that you find scary may be the path you really want to take.

It's not about "doing well" but about "living seriously."

WABISUKE's emphasis on "white space" and "seasonal colors" also overlaps with the ideas of Taro Okamoto. Tradition and innovation, serenity and explosion, reason and impulse - embracing all of these, we continue to search for our own "explosion."