SAVE THE DATE
Public Vernissage on Wednesday, October 16th from 7pm to 9pm
Kitagami Seigyu (1891-1970), Flowers and Grasses of the Four Seasons, Gold and color on gold-ground silk, pair of six-panel folding screens, 172 x 376 cm each, Courtesy of Shibunkaku, Kyoto. Photo: Ichikawa Yasushi.
From October 16th to 20th, OGATA Paris presents an exclusive exhibition NIHONGA – Beauty of Japanese Philosophy through Art, featuring a selection of works from the prestigious collection of SHIBUNKAKU, a major gallery founded in Kyoto in 1937 and whose expertise is centered on XXth century Japanese Art, from great masters of painting and calligraphy from the pre- and post-war periods to contemporary artists.
All the artworks presented in this exhibition are available for purchase.
Sakakibara Shiho (1887-1971), New Willows and a Flock of Sparrows, 1924, Color and gold on silk, framed, 130 x 36.4 cm, Courtesy of Shibunkaku, Kyoto. Photo: Ichikawa Yasushi
The term nihonga, which literally means “Japanese painting” in Japanese, traditionally refers, since the Meiji era (1868-1912), to paintings in Japanese style and techniques, as opposed to so-called “Western” paintings (or yōga), which were introduced to Japan from the second half of the 19th century.
Nihonga embodies a unique philosophy shaped by Japan’s long cultural history. At the heart of this philosophy is the concept of wa (harmony), a state where conflicting elements coexist simultaneously, each enriching the other in a form of symbiosis, while recognizing the space between opposites. This worldview is deeply connected to the Shinto belief that gods reside in all things, from the vast natural world of mountains, rivers, and forests, to the smallest pebbles.
Integral to nihonga is also the inexorability of nature, its continuous changes, and their acceptance. Using durable mineral pigments made from pulverized natural ores and shells applied to paper or silk, nihonga captures the essence of nature—such as a forest in perpetual transformation—and fixes it on a single medium.
Through the presentation of exceptional works by Foujita, Maeda Seison, Kitagami Seigyu, and a surprisingly modern still life by Tamako Kataoka, one of the first women to show her works in numerous private and official exhibitions during her lifetime, this selection allows to explore various expressions of nihonga‘s beauty in the first half of the 20th century.
About SHIBUNKAKU
Established in Kyoto in 1937, SHIBUNKAKU is committed to the transmission of Japanese culture through art, the creation of galleries, the trade of rare books, and publishing.
SHIBUNKAKU Gallery offers a variety of exhibitions centered on modern and premodern Japanese art, with a particular focus on calligraphy and painting, extending to postwar and contemporary art.
Shibunkaku supports numerous research projects and loans its works for exhibitions in established institutions around the world, notably at the National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, and recently in France at the Guimet Museum and the Maison de la Culture du Japon.
Official website : https://www.shibunkaku.co.jp/english/
NIHONGA – The Beauty of Japanese Philosophy Through Art
From October 16th to 20th, 2024
Vernissage (Open to the public)
October 16th (Wed), 2024
7pm to 9pm Preview and cocktail
With the precious collaboration of SHIBUNKAKU
