BEYOND VAGUENESS - Aesthetics of Japan -

About

The Japanese are sometimes said to be vague. “Read the air” a phrase they often use, which means to be able to understand the situation without words. Communicating subtleties of mood is part of Japanese custom, and you can even see this in their literature and art. There are many Japanese artists who feel uncomfortable with clearly expressing themselves with words, which is a contrast to Western culture.

The attitude that accepts the ambiguity and its status is associated with Zen Buddhism; to accept things as it is and to observe them with humility.

Flowers bloom and scatter. Iron rusts under sunlight and rain. It is simply a natural process. We are all born and someday we will all die. It is a fate that we all face. However it is virtually impossible to predict the size, location and timing of earthquakes and typhoons – which effect Japan every year.

Fundamentally, the attitude that allows Japanese people to accept vagueness is not a denial of transparency. It is an acceptance that even if you make it clear, the inevitable will always happen, so they believe to live well in a world where things that are out of our hands, like nature. To slow down, live in the moment and appreciate the little things.

In this exhibition, we will showcase a variety of artworks by emerging Japanese artists. We would like you take a look at these Japanese aesthetics and feel the "vagueness" in them.

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:
FUMI YAMAMOTO: Mixed media painting
HIROKO GOTO: Pottery
Hisae Sasaki: Japanese ink painting
Kenichi Yamada: Acrylic painting
maru ishibashi: Japanese embroidery ball
Mi-tan Daruma: Japanese daruma doll
noco: Mixed media painting
SENJYU chizuko matsukawa : Embroidery illustration
YOSAKU SUZUKI: Acrylic painting
Yuriko Uno: Japanese calligraphy

OPENING HOURS:
MON-FRI 11:00-19:00
SAT & SUN by appointment (buyers only)
Please check above for irregular opening hours

*FREE ADMISSION*