12th President of Aichi University of the Arts
SHIRAKAWA Noriyori
Biography
Painter / Researcher of Western Painting Materials and Techniques
Noriyori Shirakawa was born in Tokyo. He graduated from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music (currently the Tokyo University of the Arts) in 1993, where he was awarded the Ikuo Hirayama Prize and the Salon de Printemps Prize. He earned his Master's degree at the same institution in 1995 after completing a course in the Oil Painting Technique and Material Research Department. After holding several positions including part-time lecturer at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Shirakawa joined the faculty of the Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music (currently the Aichi University of the Arts). In addition to actively creating and exhibiting his own works of art, he has also conducted research on Western painting materials and techniques. Shirakawa was named the 12th President of the Aichi University of the Arts in 2024.
Connecting with Society and the World through the "Power of Art"
Since its formation, the campus of the Aichi University of the Arts has always been located in a vast, lush forest, and it boasts a curriculum that caters to the needs of each student with personalized instruction. Such a unique environment is comparable to an "art village," which any university situated in the city simply cannot offer. This is our strength, and it has been and will continue to be at the core of what makes the university so attractive.
Over the years, the university has fostered a great many talents that include artists of international fame, as well as individuals who make significant contributions to the arts and culture. Moving forward, more and more students will explore the possibilities of art during their time here, and they will eventually set out to work actively within the local area, or in a broader world, armed with "power of art."
What exactly is the "power of art"?
If there is such a thing as the "power of art," then it is something we cannot see or easily quantify. The "power of art" is an energy that is generated through the creation of a work of art or a piece of music. When we encounter excellent art or music, it stimulates our body and soul and changes the way we view things.
In order to acquire the "power of art," one has to equip themselves with the courage to overcome solitude.
If you liken an excellent artist to a fish, then the fish has to have the courage to dive into the depths of the ocean where no other fish has ever reached, or it has to have the courage to go ashore, transforming itself into an amphibian.
Our university is a team of artists. Therefore, the professors and the students here are aware of the courage required to explore the arts and create new art.
Our mission is to nurture this "power of art" in our unique "art village environment" and to diffuse the power to the outside world.
With recent societal changes that include the declining birthrate and the spread of AI technologies, to name but a few, our university must also be prepared to face the demand for change.
In response to this, the university aims to build a new school structure that is capable of responding to the needs of modern society, with our traditional "art village environment" as its fundamental framework.
Unafraid of change, we aim to become an art university that connects with society and the world, collectively leveraging the "power of art" of the professors and the students.
April 1, 2024
SHIRAKAWA Noriyori - University President