14 August 2013
The University of Tsukuba is initiating a pilot ‘Arts in Hospital’ project in the newly-renovated University of Tsukuba Hospital. The Art Environment Support Programme at the University of Tsukuba is cooperating with the School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia (UEA); the Centre for Japanese Studies at UEA, and
Read on6 August 2013
Cloth and Memory 2 is a site-specific exhibition located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Salts Mill, Saltaire Yorkshire UK, which is also an anchor point in the European Route of Industrial Heritage. The exhibition will feature 23 artists drawn from a UK and international cohort and will run from August 18th to November 3rd 2013.
Read on2 August 2013
Situated at the back of London’s National Geographic Store, the Ainu exhibition, whilst small in size, conveys a whole new world, one which many people aren’t accustomed to. The range of photos, all of which are captured by Makiko Ui during her time spent in the Ainu community, show their way of living, their community
Read on31 July 2013
This exhibition, held at the National Geographic London Store (102 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, London SW3), displays the extraordinary photographs taken by Makiko Ui during her time spent in the Ainu community. The Ainu are an indigenous group of people from Hokkaido, although they have previously inhabited other areas of Japan. The exhibition is taking place from
Read on29 July 2013
I made a trip up to Birmingham on Wednesday for the opening of the Shimabuku retrospective exhibition Something that Floats/ Something that Sinks at Ikon Gallery. Shimabuku gave a talk at the Daiwa Foundation last year, and his combination of bizarreness and whimsical charm made me eager to see the actual work. Shimabuku’s message, as I
Read on26 July 2013
Labelled as the biggest J-Pop culture event of the year, Hyper Japan certainly didn’t disappoint. Thousands of people of all ages, backgrounds and interests gathered for three days of action in what was an insight into current Japanese pop culture. Some, who felt an urge to really make an effort, came dressed in all kinds
Read on23 July 2013
As 2012 BP Travel Award winner, former Daiwa Scholar Carl Randall trekked along Japan’s Tokaido Highway in the footsteps of woodblock artist Ando Hiroshige (1797-1858), recording the people he met en route. The National Portrait Gallery is running a competition in connection with Carl’s current exhibition, In the footsteps of Hiroshige: Portraits of Modern Japan.
Read on11 July 2013
On the 9th July, I visited the Embassy of Japan in London to see JAPAN: Historical Images from the Cortazzi Collection, an exhibition of surveys and city plans of Japan that is currently running.
Read on10 July 2013
Hidden Pleasures, Public Lives: Introduction to Japanese Prints This exciting new course on Japanese art will be offered at the British Museum and Birkbeck in autumn 2013. Lectures will be taught by Dr Monika Hinkel, expert in Japanese prints, and contributor to the catalogue of the forthcoming British Museum exhibition, Shunga: sex and pleasure in Japanese
Read on5 July 2013
On Friday 5th July I went to the Japanese Galleries at the British Museum because I am very interested in Japanese history. The room captivated me before we even entered due to the wonderful display of netsuke just outside. These small figures, usually made of ivory or wood, were used as toggles on the traditional Japanese
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