Artist Corner - George Tsutakawa

George Tsutakawa’s professional art career spanned 60 years. He is most known for his more than 70 major bronze fountain sculptures set in public spaces in the U.S. (primarily in Washington State), Japan, and Canada. More on the artist and his work can be found HERE.

I am particularly taken with his fountain sculptures displayed as public art for all to enjoy. Solid yet playful, sometimes colorfully lit, they evoke a feeling of joy in me. I look forward to viewing more of these, most likely in Washington State.

Below are 3 Tsutakawa fountains that I’ve viewed, starting with the most recent sighting in Honolulu:

Waiola (Hawaiian for water of life), Ala Moana Center, 1966

Located: Street Level 1, Diamond Head Wing near Assaggio

Per Ala Moana’s art walk page, Waiola “honors the many cultures of the Pacific Basin living harmoniously in Hawaii. The structure of the statue stems from the Tibetan Obos, expressing the joy, humility and man’s desire for harmonic balance between space and matter.”

Be sure to take in the koi fish in the pool. It was only after I stepped beyond the front of the pool to take a video that I saw the koi swimming, hidden from view!

Obos 69, 1969
Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden. Silicon bronze

I am thankful that my niece, a UCLA alumni, introduced me to the scupture garden on campus. Filled with 19th- and 20th-century figurative and abstract sculpture by artists such as Alexander Calder, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Auguste Rodin and David Smith, it is truly a notable collection to experience.

Obos 69 by Tsutakawa is the only fountain sculpture in the garden. When I first posted an image of Obos 69, a Hawaii classmate mentioned the one at Ala Moana Center which I didn’t know about then. I recently saw that sculpture, Waiola, for the first time a couple weeks ago (see above).

Fountain of Pioneers, Bentall Centre, Vancouver, B. C.

This was a fun one to see on a visit to Vancouver in 2019. I managed to view it more than once while walking about downtown. It was nice to catch as the light show varied. As well, the plaza buildings made for a nice mid-century backdrop.