Image: Tatsuaki Oyama,Renchi 蓮池, mineral pigment on washi © Tatsuaki Oyama, courtesy of Oto Art

Monday 10 October 2016
6:00pm – 7:00pm

Contemporary Botanical Art from Japan: Kusabana-zu

ドリンクレセプション 7:00pm – 8:00pm

13/14 Cornwall Terrace, Outer Circle (entrance facing Regent's Park), London NW1 4QP

大和日英基金主催

This project explores the idea of traditional Japanese painting (Nihonga) through the theme of “Contemporary Botanical Art from Japan: Kusabana-zu”. Throughout its history, Nihonga has drawn an identity from association with tradition; even today it retains a basis in time-honoured Japanese artistic conventions and draws on traditional techniques and materials. However, Nihonga has also given rise to individual artistic styles and expression and has served as an arena for many well-known artists.

The post-19^th Century influence of western art in Japan coupled with the development of contemporary artistic expression, techniques and media challenged this traditional form of painting. Within the modernising climate of Japanese art, Nihonga artists have had to delicately balance the need to align themselves with tradition and the need to give Nihonga contemporary relevance. This has led to considerable debate about the meaning of Nihonga as a form of artistic expression and its stylistic parameters.

This talk for the exhibition “Contemporary Botanical Art from Japan, Kusabana-zu” serves as a forum for participating artists to explore the dichotomy and interrelationship between the traditional and the contemporary in Nihonga and how this impacts on their own individual art. It also aims to introduce a London audience to traditional Japanese painting media and materials used in Nihonga. In particular, it presents leading academic research into the conservation and restoration of Japanese handmade paper or washi, one of the key materials used in Nihonga painting. The talk will also feature Nihonga samples created by the academic Dr Tastuaki Oyama and the Nihonga artists Mistuki Noguchi and Hiroko Ueba.

For further information and videos about the exhibition and Nihonga please visit www.london-kusabana-zu-japanese-art-exhibition.com.

This talk links to the exhibition: Contemporary Botanical Art from Japan: Kusabana-zu

From (Tues) 4th October 2016 to ( Fri) 4th November 2016. Opening times 11:00-17:30 Monday-to Friday

Private view 6pm-9pm Friday 7th October 2016

Pure and Applied LLP

169 Bermondsey Street SE1 3UW

Supported by the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation

コントリビューターについて

Dr Tatsuaki Oyama

Dr Tatsuaki Oyama works as a Japanese painting, paper conservation and restoration researcher and lecturer at the Cultural Heritage Conservation Research Centre, Tohoku University of Art and Design. His research focuses on how to challenge personal expression whilst retaining links to tradition.

Hiroko Ueba

Hiroko Ueba is a visual artist based in Vienna, Austria. After graduating from the Nihonga department of Tokyo University of Arts she moved to Europe to study music in Florence and Vienna. Her reason was to explore the relationship between music and visual art. Her artwork is deeply motivated by classic music, which she explores and expresses through the colourful pattern of lines and geometrical shapes. Her works are featured in galleries and art fairs throughout the world, including in Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Germany and London.

Mitsuki Noguchi

Mitsuki Noguchi is a Nihonga artist based in Japan. Her works explore the relationship between nature and humans and their spiritual links. A feature of her work is its intricate detail and the challenge to express this detail within the traditional painting techniques of Nihonga. Her works feature in solo and group exhibitions in the Ikeda Museum, Japan; Takasaki Tower Museum, Japan; the Zhatntier & Schulz gallery in Berlin; Delic Artessen 14 in Spain; Browse & Darby Gallery in the UK and Thereafter Pepco’s Edison Place Gallery in the USA. http://www.oto-art.co.uk/mitsuki-noguchi

Tsogt Otgonbayar

Tsogt Otgonbayar is a Mongolian-born London-based visual artist and the curator of the forthcoming exhibition Contemporary Botanical Art from Japan Kusabana-zu. He followed his study of Mongolian traditional art with a Masters in Nihonga from Tokyo University of the Arts. His experience of different traditional cultures and the challenges of the contemporary world led him to develop an interest in the relationship between anthropology and art, a prominent theme in his artistic expression. His works are also deeply grounded in animism.