Contemporary Japanese Art

Attending the opening reception of the CWAJ print show gave me the opportunity to enjoy Japanese artists for a good cause. CWAJ is a not-for-profit volunteer organisation of Japanese and non-Japanese women interested in education, cross-cultural exchange, and friendship.

The print show is their annual fund raiser, held here and in Tokyo with proceeds going to the Fukushima Relief Projects. The art was very good but my favourite had to be the selection from Toko Shinoda who despite celebrating her 100th birthday this year, continues to produce art. Toko Shinoda is arguably Japan’s leading woman artist, painting original works in sumi ink on materials such as silver, gold, and platinum foils, and handmade Japanese paper. She believes that yesterday’s work was clumsy, today’s passable and tomorrow’s possibly acceptable. From the 24 pieces I saw this evening I would say her work is just beautiful!

I know what he [Hokusai] meant when he said that at 75 he could understand a little. If he lived to be 90 he would understand more. And if he could live to be 120, then maybe he could understand.
Toko Shinoda