untitled (smiling cat, fish, leaves)

Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani, artist

1920–2012

untitled (smiling cat, fish, leaves), 2000–2001

Where object was made: United States

Material/technique: drawing; ballpoint pen; colored pencil; poster board

Dimensions:
Sheet/Paper Dimensions (Height x Width): 38.1 x 40.6 cm
Frame Dimensions (Height x Width x Depth): 51.44 x 64.14 x 2.54 cm

Credit line: Collection of Linda Hattendorf, Taos, New Mexico

Accession number: EL2024.113

On display: Perkins Central Court

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Street Nihonga: The Art of Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani

Mirikitani’s cat drawings capture both playfulness and quiet resilience. Often surrounded by fruit, fish, or autumn leaves, his cats embody Japanese notions of seasonality and renewal. Some rest peacefully curled in sleep, evoking serenity amid hardship. These endearing images also had a practical purpose: While displaying his art on Manhattan’s sidewalks, Mirikitani used the charm of his cats to attract passersby, opening conversations through which he shared his remarkable life story of wartime incarceration, the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, homelessness, and enduring creativity.