Venancio Shinki was born on April 1, 1932 in Supe, Lima, Peru, and died on November 17, 2016.

He was considered one of the most outstanding Peruvian painters.

Shinki’s father (Kitsuke Shinki of Hiroshima Prefecture) was Japanese and had arrived to Peru in 1915.

Shinki’s mother was Peruvian (Filomena Huamán of Huari, Peru).

Venancio was born and raised on the Hacienda San Nicolás in Supe, north of Lima.

During that time, Supe attracted a large concentration of Japanese immigrants.

Venancio has 3 children from his first marriage to Keiko Higa.

When he was 21 he opened his own photographic studio.

Shinki worked as a professor in the Architecture Faculty of the UNI (Universidad Nacional de Ingenieria), as a graphic artist in the Expreso newspaper and as a public servant in the Ministry of Industry and Tourism.

Shinki studied at the National School of Fine Arts of Peru, where he was taught by, among others, Sabino Springuett, Ricardo Grau and Juan Manuel Ugarte Elespuru.

Shinki graduated as the valedictorian in 1962.

Shinki received the award Sérvulo Gutiérrez.

Shinki was known to be an abstract expressionist painter.

Shinki’s work was inspired partly by travels through Ecuador, Mexico and Peru, but in its symbolism it also reflected his admiration for the works of Bosch, El Greco, Klee and Mir; with its subtle range of tones and textures and its undefined forms it also expressed elements of his Japanese heritage.

Shinki’s paintings have a mixture of Eastern, Western, and Andean themes, with a distinctive surrealism that shows an intriguing and unknown universe, set off by a purified technique and a renovated figuration.

Shinki began taking part in collective expositions since 1963 in Peru and other Countries.

During 1966 Shinki won the Teknoquimica award.

During 1967 he received the National Award in Painting “Ignacio Merino” He has received many accolades and has participated in a variety of individual and group exhibits in Peru, Japan, Italy, United States, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Venezuela, Panama, and Mexico, among others.

Venancio Shinki passed away at 84 years old.