Norio Azuma: A Modern Voice in American Serigraphy

The document shown—a 1965 Arts Calendar issued by the Adult Education Council of Greater Chicago—offers a striking glimpse into the growing national recognition of Norio Azuma during the mid-1960s. Featured prominently is one of his works titled “Image No. 3,” a serigraph on canvas represented by Benjamin Galleries of Chicago. The inclusion of Azuma’s work in a regional arts calendar distributed to institutions and the public underscores how widely his art was circulating during this period, reaching audiences far beyond New York where he lived and worked.

What stands out immediately is the visual language of Azuma’s serigraph. “Image No. 3” reflects his hallmark approach: a composition built from overlapping geometric planes, subtle shifts in tone, and layered structures that give the work both architectural stability and expressive atmosphere. The use of canvas—still relatively uncommon in serigraphy at that time—reveals his commitment to expanding the medium beyond paper and into a painterly territory. This innovation showed Azuma’s desire to elevate serigraphy to a fine-art status on par with painting, a mission that characterized much of his career.

The arts calendar itself, produced in Chicago, signifies that Azuma’s reputation had reached major Midwestern institutions. The listing of Benjamin Galleries on Michigan Avenue places his work among serious contemporary art circles. Chicago was an important hub for modern printmaking, and Azuma’s representation there indicates both market interest and curatorial respect. His work appearing in this official publication suggests that his reputation was not limited to the coasts but was part of a national conversation about the evolution of modern techniques, abstraction, and the emerging relevance of serigraphy.

The image of “Image No. 3” demonstrates Azuma’s mastery of form, balance, and tonal restraint. Large and small rectangles overlap, shift, and stack in a way that recalls both Cubist structure and the contemplative clarity of Japanese aesthetics. His designs feel simultaneously constructed and organic—as if the shapes were cut from memory, then assembled with quiet discipline. The serigraph medium allowed him to control not only shape but also texture, producing surfaces that feel both printed and hand-crafted.

Even without written biographical details here, this single page hints strongly at Azuma’s rising stature in 1965. To be highlighted in a respected educational and cultural publication speaks to his credibility within the art community. The calendar was intended for museums, educators, students, and collectors—precisely the audiences that recognized the importance of innovation in printmaking. As a result, Azuma’s inclusion reinforces the view that he was considered a significant contemporary printmaker whose work pushed boundaries.

“Image No. 3,” with its calm geometry and assured execution, reveals why institutions and galleries entrusted Azuma’s work to their audiences. The page illustrates a moment when his art was actively circulating across the United States, contributing to the broader movement that helped establish serigraphy as a respected medium of modern art. Through this document, we witness Norio Azuma not only as a participant in the 1960s art world but as an influential figure shaping its visual and technical direction.