Library Collection List and Access to Materials Related to SHIMAZAKI Kiyomi is Open for Viewing
We have made a list of the ‘Materials Related to SHIMAZAKI Kiyomi’ held in the library collection of the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties (TOBUNKEN) available on our website, and the original materials are now available for viewing in the TOBUNKEN Library*. The materials related to the Sōzō Biiku Kyōkai (SŌBI: ‘Society for Creative Art Education’), which were kept by art educator SHIMAZAKI (1923-2015), were donated to TOBUNKEN in March 2023 at the bereavement of his family.
SŌBI is a civilian art education organization founded in 1952. SHIMAZAKI was the head office secretary of SŌBI from 1957 to 1972. Even after retiring, he continued to monitor the activities of the association and worked hard to preserve it for future generations, preserving archives from the early days of SŌBI to the 2000s. As a reference to this, SHIMAZAKI’s personal document (SHIMAZAKI Kiyomi Papers A-531), a booklet containing the words of several early SŌBI members, including Mr. ASABE Hiroshi, states: ‘Fewer and fewer people know about the founding of SŌBI, and if we do not record it now, we will not be able to pass it on to future generations’ and the booklet was handed out to those who were interested in it. More than anyone else, SHIMAZAKI hoped that the activities of SŌBI will be passed on to future generations.
After receiving the donation, preparations were made to open the materials to the public with the advice of Mr. KIKKAWA Hideki, Head, Modern/Contemporary Art Section of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems and Ms. TAMURA Ayako (former Research Assistant staff of the Department of Art Research, Archives and Information Systems), with Ms. KAMADA Karin and Ms. KAMIO Hinaki (Assistants of the same department), Ms. TAGUCHI Kotono (former Assistant of the same department) working to organize the materials. The materials are categorized into A, ‘Sōzō Biiku Kyōkai-related materials,’ B, ‘Letters,’ and C, ‘SHIMAZAKI’s schedule books and Diaries,’ and are stored in a total of 19 archival document cases.
We would like to thank his bereaved family and all those involved for their efforts in this way. It is our sincere hope that the materials preserved with SHIMAZAKI’s passion will be seen by as many people as possible, and that research on art education and other subjects will flourish both in Japan and abroad.
*Application for advance reservation is required.
◆TOBUNKEN Library Visitor’s Guide
(https://www.tobunken.go.jp/joho/english/library/library_e.html)
◆‘SHIMAZAKI Kiyomi Papers’
(https://www.tobunken.go.jp/joho/japanese/library/pdf/archives_Shimazaki_Kiyomi.pdf）