1924年兵庫県生まれ。戦後日本の前衛美術を牽引した具体美術協会の中心メンバー。1955年には泥と格闘する《泥に挑む》など、自己と素材の肉体的対峙を作品化。その後「フット・ペインティング」と呼ばれる独自の技法を考案、床に敷いたカンバスに足で絵の具を塗り広げる身体的で即興的な表現を生み出した。1971年に天台宗の密教僧となった後は、禅的均衡と穏やかな色調を作品に取り入れ、国内外で高く評価された。

Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1924, he was a central member of the Gutai Art Association, a leading figure in postwar Japanese avant-garde art. In 1955, he created works that depicted the physical confrontation between self and material, such as "Challenging Mud," in which he wrestles with mud. He later devised a unique technique known as "foot painting," creating a physical, improvisational form of expression in which he spread paint with his feet on a canvas laid on the floor. After becoming a Tendai Buddhist monk in 1971, he incorporated Zen balance and gentle colors into his work, earning him high praise both at home and abroad.