Until the mid 20th century, the art of calligraphy in Japan hardly changed in a millennium. In the 1950s, however, an innovation took place whereby the calligrapher embraced just a single ideogram or a few ideograms instead of many ideograms as in the past. The outcome was shōsho, a more spontaneous and expressive calligraphic art that integrated form and intent in a dynamic way. Today, Tairiku Teshima is one of leading exponents of shōsho. This exhibition will vividly demonstrate how shōsho captures with ink and paper “the pulse of life that speaks the truth existing in the mind”.
This new form, called shōsho (symbolic calligraphy), was influenced by twentieth-century Western art including abstract expressionism. Held at Asia House, a place dedicated to the bringing together of east and west, through culture and arts. It is the aim of this exhibition to promote international understanding and goodwill, with hope that also bonds between Japan and Britain can be strengthened.
For more information, see ‘exhibitions’ at Asia House