Japan Tide & Leyden Gallery Present: Chisayo NAKATA & Hima AYUZAWA

About

Scenes of Carefree Dreams Chisayo NAKATA Solo Exhibition

“Even with a busy daily life, you must not forget the freedom of your soul.” For many years, Chisayo Nakata worked alone, managing a Chinese restaurant in Ozu, Ehime Prefecture. It wasn’t until the age of 70 that she began focusing on painting. Finding joy painting pictures as a member of the art club in high school, Nakata never stopped painting, despite her busy schedule operating the restaurant. She talks about the joy of working on oil paintings long into the night after closing up the restaurant. Nakata’s landscapes are full of imagination and imagery drawn from a world of fairy tales. Full of passion for the carefree act of creation, the works strike the viewer with a sense of longing, like fading dreams that feel as though they are being lost to a busy reality. This exhibition includes the Pleiades series (in which flowers floating in space depict souls rising to the heavens) along with other works that take a surreal approach in depicting the ocean floor. With an innocent sentimentality, the captivating paintings on display can be both enjoyed by adults and children alike.

Spirit of Japan - Creating a Refined World Through Handcrafts - Hima AYUZAWA Solo Exhibition

Hima Ayuzawa has been an oshie (traditional raised cloth) artist for 35 years. Influenced by her mother, who worked as a dressmaking teacher, Ayuzawa learned crafts from a young age. Oshie is a fun, ornamental Japanese craft in which leftover kimono fabric (originally made for aristocratic women) is pasted onto screens and incense boxes. The craft was widely popularized in the Edo period as an enjoyable activity for housewives. Pieces of cardboard are cutout for each underlying part of the picture. Wrapping colored cloth around each part results in bulging curved lines and a three dimensional shape, giving the doll a lively appearance. Capturing the Japanese sense of harmony, the pieces resonate with an elegant atmosphere, with dignified characters from kabuki actors and notable figures from history. In addition to works depicting gorgeous women in kimono and gentle landscapes from the Heian era, which received acclaim in Paris, this exhibition will also showcase new works for thefirst time based on adorable animals such as chickens, monkeys and rabbits. We hope you enjoy the incredibly appealing world of oshie