On Kawara: A Lifetime Measured in Dates On Kawara (1933–2014) stands as a singular figure within the annals of conceptual art, recognized globally for his groundbreaking “Today” series – date paintings that encapsulate a lifetime’s exploration of time and its fundamental role in human experience. Born in Kariya, Japan, Kawara embarked on an artistic journey marked by profound introspection and unwavering dedication to distilling art down to its purest essence: information itself. His formative years were shaped by the postwar landscape of Japan, followed by studies in Tokyo and a pivotal thr…