photo by Philip Mechanicus
born December 7, 1923, Los Angeles
married Dutch artist Ferdi Jansen [died January 2, 1969] in Amsterdam 1956
daughter Giotta Fuyo Tajiri, b. 1957
daughter Ryu Vinci Tajiri b. 1959
married Suzanne van de Capellen, 1976
moved to Baarlo, a village in Limburg, the southernmost province of the Netherlands, 1962
renovated their new home - a dilapidated castle
started a bronze foundry
studied with noted San Diego sculptor Donal Hord
in 1942 sent to the Poston "3" concentration camp in the Arizona desert
in 1943 joined the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and fought in Italy
wounded on July 9, 1944 during an attack on Catellina, Italy (stone fragments are still lodged in his bones)
during hospitalization started drawing fellow soldiers and war scenes
worked in the studio of Isamu Noguchi in New York
studied at Chicago Art Institute on the G.I. Bill
in 1948 moved to Paris where he continued his study with Ozzip Zadkine and Fernand Leger
since 1956, he has lived in the Netherlands
professor at the Hochschule der Kunste in Berlin, 1969 - 1989
student Nobuho Nagasawa -- her Missing House was inspired by the Tajiri family's story -- also wrote Tribute to My Mentor
artist portrait at the-artists.org