OGATA gallery welcomes a selection of paintings from the prestigious Shibunkaku collection, a major gallery founded in Kyoto in 1937. The term nihonga, which literally means “Japanese painting”, has traditionally referred to Japanese-style paintings since the Meiji period, as opposed to Western-style (or yōga) paintings, which flourished in Japan following their introduction from European countries. More than a century and a half has passed since the Meiji Restoration, and it is time to revisit the aesthetic categories put in place then.
This exhibition aims to identify the characteristics of Nihonga.
Traditionally, this painting style is presented on scrolls (kakejiku). For this exhibition, the paintings have been detached from the scroll and elegantly framed. The thin wooden frames, which respect the original principle of using natural materials, create a new dialogue. First, a dialogue between the work and its frame such an unexpected encounter between Nihonga and this new format requires a certain amount of discernment. Secondly, a dialogue between the framed painting and its place of exhibition thus enhanced in frames, these paintings respond better to the Western gaze and find a new life through their contemplation in a new context.
In collaboration with SHIBUNKAKU
