THE artwork of a former kamikaze pilot has gone on display in the region.

Durham University's Oriental Museum features new and selected work by Japanese artist Kenji Yoshida.

He has won international recognition for his large scale abstract works using gold and silver leaf.

A museum spokesman said: "Born in 1924, Yoshida's art studies were interrupted by the Second World War.

"Selected for training as a kamikaze pilot, Yoshida was lucky to survive his teens.

"After the war ended, the memory of the traumatic experience of having come so close to death spurred Yoshida to throw himself single-mindedly into his art.

"From that point onwards the majority of his work has carried the single, most telling of titles - Life."

In 1964, Mr Yoshida moved to Paris where he has lived ever since.

In 1993, the quality of his work was recognised when he was honoured to be the first living artist ever to be given a solo exhibition at the Japanese Galleries of the British Museum.

The exhibition opened on Saturday and runs until November 16. Entrance is free.