Hello, dear readers - seekers of knowledge and truth!
Japanese artists are distinguished by their unique style, honed by generations of masters. Today we will talk about the brightest representatives of Japanese painting and their paintings, from ancient times to modern times.
Well, let's plunge into the art of the Land of the Rising Sun.
The birth of art
The ancient art of painting in Japan is primarily associated with the peculiarities of writing and therefore is based on the basics of calligraphy. The first examples include fragments of bronze bells, dishes, and household items found during excavations. Many of them were painted with natural paints, and research suggests that the products were made earlier than 300 BC.
A new stage in the development of art began with the arrival in Japan. On emakimono - special paper scrolls - images of the deities of the Buddhist pantheon, scenes from the life of the Teacher and his followers were applied.
The predominance of religious themes in painting can be traced in medieval Japan, namely from the 10th to the 15th centuries. The names of the artists of that era to this day, alas, have not been preserved.
In the period of 15-18 centuries, a new time begins, characterized by the appearance of artists with a developed individual style. They marked the vector for the further development of fine arts.
Bright representatives of the past
Tense Shubun (early 15th century)
In order to become an outstanding master, Xubong studied Chinese Sung artists' writing techniques and their work. Subsequently, he became one of the founders of painting in Japan and the creator of sumi-e.
Sumi-e is an art style that is based on ink drawing, which means one color.
Shubun did a lot to make the new style take root in artistic circles. He taught art to other talents, including future famous painters, such as Sesshu.
Shubun's most popular painting is called "Reading in the Bamboo Grove".
"Reading in the Bamboo Grove" by Tense Shubun
Hasegawa Tohaku (1539-1610)
He became the creator of the school, named after himself - Hasegawa. At first, he tried to follow the canons of the Kano school, but gradually his individual “handwriting” began to be traced in his works. Tohaku was guided by Sesshu's graphics.
The basis of the work was simple, concise, but realistic landscapes with uncomplicated names:
- "Pines";
- "Maple";
- Pines and flowering plants.
Pines, Hasegawa Tohaku
Brothers Ogata Korin (1658-1716) and Ogata Kenzan (1663-1743)
The brothers were excellent craftsmen of the 18th century. The eldest, Ogata Korin, devoted himself entirely to painting and founded the rimpa genre. He avoided stereotypical images, preferring the impressionist genre.
Ogata Korin painted nature in general and flowers in the form of bright abstractions in particular. His brushes belong to the painting:
- "Plum blossom red and white";
- "Waves of Matsushima";
- "Chrysanthemums".
Waves of Matsushima by Korin Ogata
The younger brother - Ogata Kenzan - had many aliases. At least he was engaged in painting, but he was more famous as a wonderful ceramist.
Ogata Kenzan mastered many pottery techniques. He was distinguished by a non-standard approach, for example, he created plates in the form of a square.
Own painting was not distinguished by splendor - this was also its peculiarity. He liked to put calligraphy on products like a scroll or excerpts from poetry. Sometimes they worked together with their brother.
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849)
He worked in the style of ukiyo-e - a kind of woodcut, in other words, engraving painting. For all the time of creativity, he changed about 30 names. The most famous work is The Great Wave off Kanagawa, thanks to which he became famous outside his homeland.
"The Great Wave off Kanagawa" by Hokusai Katsushika
Especially hard Hokusai began to work after 60 years, which brought good results. Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir were familiar with his work, and to a certain extent it influenced the work of European masters.
Ando Hiroshige (1791-1858)
One of the greatest artists of the 19th century. Born, lived, worked in Edo, continued the work of Hokusai, was inspired by his work. The way he portrayed nature is almost as striking as the number of works themselves.
Edo is the former name of Tokyo.
Here are some figures about his work, which are represented by a cycle of paintings:
- 5.5 thousand - the number of all engravings;
- “100 Views of Edo;
- "36 Views of Fuji";
- "69 Kisokaido Stations";
- "53 Tokaido Stations".
Painting by Ando Hiroshige
Interestingly, the outstanding Van Gogh wrote a couple of copies of his engravings.
Modernity
Takashi Murakami
Painter, sculptor, fashion designer, he earned a name already at the end of the 20th century. In his work, he adheres to fashion trends with elements of the classics, and draws inspiration from anime and manga cartoons.
Painting by Takashi Murakami
The works of Takashi Murakami are classified as a subculture, but at the same time they are incredibly popular. For example, in 2008, one of his works was bought at auction for more than $15 million. At one time, the modern creator worked together with the fashion houses "Marc Jacobs" and "Louis Vuitton".
Tycho Asima
An associate of a previous artist, she creates contemporary surreal paintings. They depict views of cities, streets of megacities and creatures as if from another universe - ghosts, evil spirits, alien girls. In the background of the paintings you can often see the pristine, sometimes even frightening nature.
Her paintings reach large sizes and are rarely limited to paper. They are transferred to leather, plastic materials.
In 2006, as part of an exhibition in the British capital, a woman created about 20 arched structures that reflected the beauty of the nature of the village and the city, day and night. One of them decorated the subway station.
Hey Arakawa
The young man cannot be called just an artist in the classical sense of the word - he creates installations that are so popular in the art of the 21st century. The themes of his exhibitions are truly Japanese and touch upon friendly relations, as well as the work of the whole team.
Ei Arakawa often participates in various biennials, for example, in Venice, is exhibited in the Museum of Modern Art in his homeland, and deservedly receives various awards.
Ikenaga Yasunari
The modern painter Ikenaga Yasunari managed to combine two seemingly incompatible things: the life of today's girls in a portrait form and the traditional techniques of Japan come from antiquity. In his work, the painter uses special brushes, natural pigmented paints, ink, and charcoal. Instead of the usual linen - linen fabric.
Ikenaga Yasunari painting
This technique of contrasting the depicted era and the appearance of the heroines creates the impression that they have returned to us from the past.
A series of paintings about the complexities of a crocodile's life, which has recently become popular in the Internet community, was also created by the Japanese cartoonist Keigo.
Conclusion
So, Japanese painting originated around the 3rd century BC, and has changed a lot since then. The first images were applied to ceramics, then Buddhist motifs began to prevail in the arts, but the names of the authors have not survived to this day.
In the era of the New Age, the masters of the brush acquired more and more individuality, created different directions, schools. Today's visual arts are not limited to traditional painting - installations, caricatures, art sculptures, special structures are used.
Thank you very much for your attention, dear readers! We hope you found our article useful, and the stories about the life and work of the brightest representatives of art art made it possible to get to know them better.
Of course, it is difficult to tell in one article about all the artists from antiquity to the present. Therefore, let this be the first step towards the knowledge of Japanese painting.
And join us - subscribe to the blog - we will study Buddhism and the culture of the East together!
Art and design
2904
01.02.18 09:02
Today's art scene in Japan is very diverse and provocative: looking at the work of masters from the Land of the Rising Sun, you will think that you have landed on another planet! It is home to innovators who have changed the landscape of the industry on a global scale. Here is a list of 10 contemporary Japanese artists and their creations, from the incredible creatures of Takashi Murakami (who is celebrating his birthday today) to the colorful universe of Kusama.
From futuristic worlds to dotted constellations: contemporary Japanese artists
Takashi Murakami: traditionalist and classic
Let's start with the hero of the occasion! Takashi Murakami is one of Japan's most iconic contemporary artists, working on paintings, large-scale sculptures and fashion. Murakami's style is influenced by manga and anime. He is the founder of the Superflat movement, which supports Japanese artistic traditions and the country's post-war culture. Murakami promoted many of his fellow contemporaries, we will also get to know some of them today. "Subcultural" works by Takashi Murakami are presented in the fashion and art art markets. His provocative My Lonesome Cowboy (1998) was sold in New York at Sotheby's in 2008 for a record $15.2 million. Murakami has collaborated with world famous brands Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton and Issey Miyake.
Tycho Asima and her surreal universe
A member of the art production company Kaikai Kiki and the Superflat movement (both founded by Takashi Murakami), Chiho Ashima is known for her fantasy cityscapes and weird pop creatures. The artist creates surrealistic dreams inhabited by demons, ghosts, young beauties depicted against the backdrop of outlandish nature. Her works are usually large-scale and printed on paper, leather, plastic. In 2006, this contemporary Japanese artist participated in Art on the Underground in London. She created 17 successive arches for the platform - the magical landscape gradually turned from day to night, from urban to rural. This miracle blossomed at the Gloucester Road tube station.
Chiharu Shima and Infinite Threads
Another artist, Chiharu Shiota, is working on large-scale visual installations for specific landmarks. She was born in Osaka, but now lives in Germany - in Berlin. The central themes of her work are oblivion and memory, dreams and reality, past and present, and also the confrontation of anxiety. Chiharu Shiota's most famous works are the impenetrable webs of black thread that envelop many everyday and personal items such as old chairs, a wedding dress, a burnt piano. In the summer of 2014, Shiota connected more than 300 shoes and boots donated to her with threads of red yarn and hung them on hooks. Chiharu's first exhibition in the German capital was held during the Berlin Art Week in 2016 and caused a sensation.
Hey Arakawa: everywhere, not anywhere
Ei Arakawa is inspired by states of change, periods of instability, elements of risk, and his installations often symbolize the themes of friendship and teamwork. The credo of the contemporary Japanese artist is defined by the performative indefinite "everywhere but nowhere". His creations pop up in unexpected places. In 2013, Arakawa's work was exhibited at the Venice Biennale and in the exhibition of Japanese contemporary art at the Mori Art Museum (Tokyo). The Hawaiian Presence installation (2014) was a collaboration with New York-based artist Carissa Rodriguez and featured in the Whitney Biennale. Also in 2014, Arakawa and his brother Tomu, performing as a duet called the United Brothers, offered visitors to Frieze London their "work" "The This Soup Taste Ambivalent" with "radioactive" Fukushima daikon roots.
Koki Tanaka: Relationship and Repetition
In 2015, Koki Tanaka was named Artist of the Year. Tanaka explores the shared experience of creativity and imagination, encourages exchange between project participants, and advocates for new rules for collaboration. His installation in the Japanese pavilion at the 2013 Venice Biennale consisted of videos of objects turning the space into a platform for art exchange. Koki Tanaka's installations (not to be confused with his full namesake actor) illustrate the relationship between objects and actions, such as the video recording of simple gestures performed with ordinary objects (knife slicing vegetables, beer being poured into a glass, opening an umbrella). Nothing significant happens, but the obsessive repetition and attention to the smallest details make the viewer appreciate the mundane.
Mariko Mori and streamlined shapes
Another contemporary Japanese artist, Mariko Mori, "conjures" multimedia objects, combining videos, photos, objects. She has a minimalist futuristic vision and sleek, surreal forms. A recurring theme in Maury's work is the juxtaposition of Western legend with Western culture. In 2010, Mariko founded the Fau Foundation, an educational cultural non-profit organization, for which she produced a series of her art installations honoring the six inhabited continents. Most recently, the Foundation's permanent installation, The Ring: One with Nature, was hoisted over a picturesque waterfall in Resende near Rio de Janeiro.
Ryoji Ikeda: Sound and Video Synthesis
Ryoji Ikeda is a new media artist and composer whose work is mainly related to sound in different "raw" states, from sinusoidal sounds to noises using frequencies at the edge of human hearing. His breathtaking installations include computer-generated sounds that are visually transformed into video projections or digital templates. Ikeda's audiovisual art objects use scale, light, shadow, volume, electronic sounds and rhythm. The artist's famous test object consists of five projectors that illuminate an area 28 meters long and 8 meters wide. The unit converts data (text, sounds, photos and movies) into a barcode and binary patterns of zeros and ones.
Tatsuo Miyajima and LED counters
Modern Japanese sculptor and montage artist Tatsuo Miyajima uses electrical circuits, videos, computers and other gadgets in his art. The main concepts of Miyajima are inspired by humanistic ideas and Buddhist teachings. The LED counters in his setup flash continuously in a repetition of 1 to 9, symbolizing the journey from life to death, but avoiding the finality that is represented by 0 (zero never appears in Tatsuo's work). The ubiquitous numbers in grids, towers, and diagrams express Miyajima's interest in the ideas of continuity, eternity, connection, and the flow of time and space. Not so long ago, Miyajima's Arrow of Time object was shown at the inaugural exhibition "Incomplete Thoughts Visible in New York".
Nara Yoshimoto and the Evil Children
Nara Yoshimoto creates paintings, sculptures and drawings of children and dogs, subjects that reflect the childish sense of boredom and frustration and the fierce independence that comes naturally to toddlers. The aesthetic of Yoshimoto's work is reminiscent of traditional book illustrations, a mixture of restless tension and the artist's love of punk rock. In 2011, the Asian Society Museum in New York hosted Yoshitomo's first solo exhibition entitled "Yoshitomo Nara: Nobody's Fool", covering the 20-year career of a contemporary Japanese artist. The exhibits were closely connected with world youth subcultures, their alienation and protest.
Yayoi Kusama and the space that grows with outlandish forms
An amazing creative biography of Yayoi Kusama spans seven decades. During this time, an amazing Japanese woman managed to study the fields of painting, graphics, collage, sculpture, cinema, engraving, environmental art, installation, as well as literature, fashion and clothing design. Kusama developed a highly distinctive style of dot art that has become her trademark. The illusory visions presented in the works of the 88-year-old Kusama - when the world seems to be covered with proliferating outlandish forms - are the result of hallucinations that she has experienced since childhood. Rooms with colorful dots and "endless" mirrors reflecting their accumulations are recognizable, they cannot be confused with anything else.
Japanese painting is the oldest art form. It includes various forms, genres and diverse content.
Japanese painting is the oldest form of art. It includes various forms, genres and diverse content. Elegant art presents the world with pictures that are screens, wall paintings, silk or paper scrolls, fans, easel paintings and engravings.
Japanese painting is distinguished by a wide variety of genres and styles. The leading place in Japanese painting, as well as in literature, is occupied by nature. She is presented as the guardian of the divine principle. Japanese painting originates in Chinese art, so its genres are very similar to those of the Celestial Empire. Nowadays, many Japanese artists prefer to study in China.
Painting in Japan has several stages in its history. Each of them has its own characteristics and special features.
The initial stage of development is considered to be the time period from the middle of the seventh century to the end of the eighth century, called Nara. During this period, the temple of Horyuji was painted; it is an excellent evidence of the influence of Indian and Chinese traditions on Japanese culture.
The next period in the development of Japanese painting is called heian. It is famous for the active flourishing of temple painting and examples of secular image art. During this period, illustrations were created for novels and stories designed to entertain noble gentlemen.
Period Kamakura(occupies a time period from the end of the 12th century to the first half of the 14th century), which occupied the time period from the end of the twelfth century to the first half of the fourteenth century, is characterized by a change in styles, the search for new ways of depicting life. The mood of Japanese painting is changing dramatically. Previously, paintings conveyed an optimistic, light and joyful atmosphere. During this period, a big step was taken towards a realistic image, as well as giving the picture an almost military character. Characteristic subjects of painting are battle scenes from myths and history, religious scenes from the Buddhist tradition. The image of portraits of important statesmen is widespread.
During the period Muromachi(the time period from the first half of the 14th century to the second half of the 16th century), the trend that glorified Japanese painting all over the world comes to the fore. The philosophy of Zen Buddhism had a significant influence on painting, resulting in landscape art gaining popularity. Monochrome technique received special elegance. During this period, Japanese painting was influenced by China. The most famous japan artist At that time, Toyo Oda, who specialized in painting landscapes, created the first paintings when he traveled around the Middle Kingdom. He developed the direction already at home.
The above trend was actively developed and supplemented during the following two periods in the development of Japanese painting - Monoyama and edo. Monochrome technique was a more sophisticated option. Carefully worked out and painted the details. The artists were not afraid of experiments and began to apply the techniques previously used in painting on scrolls and screens, in wall painting. Landscapes and crowd scenes began to be supplemented with psychological stories that show the hero at a moment of strong emotional stress. In addition to traditional painting in Japan, woodcut engraving has become actively spread. It was divided into two types: theatrical engraving and everyday writing engraving. The most famous master of theatrical prints is Choshusai Syaraku. Engraving of everyday life was actively developed in the work of Suzuki Harunobu and Kitagawa Utamaro.
Each country has its own heroes of contemporary art, whose names are well-known, whose exhibitions gather crowds of fans and curious people, and whose works are distributed among private collections.
In this article, we will introduce you to the most popular contemporary artists in Japan.
Keiko Tanabe
Born in Kyoto, Keiko won many art competitions as a child, but her higher education was not in the arts at all. She has worked in the international relations department of a Japanese self-government trade organization in Tokyo, a large law firm in San Francisco, and a private consulting firm in San Diego, and has traveled extensively. Starting in 2003, she left her job and, after learning the basics of watercolor painting in San Diego, devoted herself exclusively to art.
Ikenaga Yasunari (Ikenaga Yasunari)
Japanese artist Ikenaga Yasunari paints portraits of contemporary women in the ancient Japanese tradition of painting, using the Menso brush, mineral pigments, carbon black, ink and linen as a base. His characters are women of our time, but thanks to the style of Nihonga, there is a feeling that they came to us from ancient times.
Abe Toshiyuki
Abe Toshiyuki is a realist artist who has mastered the watercolor technique to perfection. Abe can be called an artist-philosopher: he fundamentally does not draw well-known sights, preferring subjective compositions that reflect the internal states of the person who watches them.
Hiroko Sakai
The career of the artist Hiroko Sakai began in the early 90s in the city of Fukuoka. After graduating from Seinan Gakuin University and Nihon French School of Interior Design in design and visualization, she founded "Atelier Yume-Tsumugi Ltd." and successfully managed this studio for 5 years. Many of her works adorn the lobbies of hospitals, offices of large corporations and some municipal buildings in Japan. After moving to the United States, Hiroko began to paint in oils.
Riusuke Fukahori
The three-dimensional works of Ryuusuki Fukahori are like holograms. They are made with multiple layers of acrylic paint and a transparent resin liquid, all of which, along with traditional techniques such as shadowing, edge softening, transparency control, allow Ryusuki to create sculptural paintings and add depth and realism to the work.
Natsuki Otani
Natsuki Otani is a talented Japanese illustrator living and working in England.
Makoto Muramatsu
Makoto Muramatsu chose a win-win theme as the basis for his work - he draws cats. His pictures are popular all over the world, especially in the form of puzzles.
Tetsuya Mishima
Most of the paintings by contemporary Japanese artist Mishima are made in oils. She has been professionally engaged in painting since the 90s, she has several solo exhibitions and a large number of collective exhibitions, both Japanese and foreign.
Hokusai, an 18th-century Japanese artist, created a dizzying array of artwork. Hokusai worked well into old age, invariably asserting that "everything he did before the age of 70 was not worthwhile and was not worth attention."
Possibly the most famous Japanese artist in the world, he has always stood out from his fellow contemporary artists with his interest in everyday life. Instead of depicting glamorous geisha and heroic samurai, Hokusai painted workers, fishermen, urban genre scenes, which were not yet a subject of interest for Japanese art. He also took a European approach to composition.
Here is a short list of key terms that will help you navigate a bit in Hokusai's work.
1 Ukiyo-e are prints and paintings popular in Japan from the 1600s to the 1800s. A trend in the visual arts of Japan that has developed since the Edo period. This term comes from the word "ukiyo", which means "changing world". Wickie is an allusion to the hedonistic joys of a burgeoning merchant class. In this direction, Hokusai is the most famous artist.
Hokusai used at least thirty pseudonyms throughout his lifetime. Despite the fact that the use of pseudonyms was a common practice among Japanese artists of that time, he significantly outnumbered other major authors in terms of the number of pseudonyms. Pseudonyms of Hokusai are often used to periodize the stages of his work.
2 The Edo period is the time between 1603 and 1868 in Japanese history, when economic growth and a new interest in art and culture were noted.
3 Shunrō is the first of Hokusai's aliases.
4 Shunga literally means "picture of spring" and "spring" is Japanese slang for sex. Thus, these are engravings of an erotic nature. They were created by the most respected artists, including Hokusai.
5 Surimono. The last "surimono" - as these custom-made prints were called - were a huge success. Unlike ukiyo-e prints, which were designed for a mass audience, surimono were rarely sold to the general public.
6 Mount Fuji is a symmetrical mountain that happens to be the tallest in Japan. Over the years, she has inspired many artists and poets, including Hokusai, who produced the ukiyo-e series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. This series includes Hokusai's most famous prints.
7 Japonism is a lasting influence that Hokusai had on subsequent generations of Western artists. Japonism is a style inspired by the bright colors of ukiyo-e prints, lack of perspective, and compositional experimentation.
