Exhibition Spotlight: THE ART OF SHO II at Tenri Cultural Institute
- Mar 28
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 28
Info:
Tenri Cultural Institute
43A W 13th St, New York, NY 10011 | (212) 645-2800
April 22-28, 2025 (Closed on April 25,27)
Reception and Performance: Saturday, April 26, 3-5pm
The new series exhibition "Art of Sho II" is the 16th installment of a series of exhibitions (formerly known as Japan Contemporaries Series) that began in 2023, organized by Emmy Award-winning TV writer Motoichi Adachi and New York-based curator Kyoko Sato, known for introducing Japanese culture. The exhibition focuses on the theme of "Sho" (Japanese calligraphy) and features works by 24 artists selected through an open call and review process. This series highlights interesting works by artists mainly active in Japan, regardless of genre or background, introducing them to the cutting-edge global art scene. It also includes leading figures based in New York who are active worldwide, facilitating effective exchanges and mutual inspiration.
The exhibition series has continued since last year with "Stepping Into A World V" (Series 15, Gallery Max, New York, featuring 25 Japanese artists), as well as the more casual “Art Incubation Series 17, Gallery 60NYC, featuring 10 Japanese artists and concurrently hosting the "Well-Being Art II, Series 19” to support underprivileged children in Southeast Asia), and "100 Artists of the World" (Series 18, showcasing 9 artists on the large screen in Times Square, 1530 Broadway between 44th and 45th Street). Together, these five projects will create a wave of Japanese art in New York this spring.
The judges for the open call are Dr. Les Joynes (Columbia University Research Scholar, Curator), Jason Patrick Voegele (Curator, writer, art consultant), Motoichi Adachi (Emmy Award-winning TV writer), and Kyoko Sato (Curator). In this series, up until the 13th installment in November 2024, we have already introduced 186 Japanese artists. Furthermore, over 20 of these artists have since been exhibited in other galleries in New York. This spring, we plan to introduce an additional 60 artists, bringing many more outstanding Japanese artists into the New York art scene.
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"I approach the art world with the same mindset that I’ve used for many years in the Japanese TV industry. I want to bring a fresh breeze of free-spirited ideas into a world that values long-standing traditions. Even if someone didn’t graduate from a famous art school or isn’t backed by a powerful gallery, a beautiful work is beautiful, and an interesting piece is interesting. I want to see captivating artists make a bold impact on the world stage. This time, I’m taking on that unconventional challenge." — Motoichi Adachi
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In 2021, the Agency for Cultural Affairs registered "Shodo" (Japanese calligraphy) as an Intangible Cultural Property. However, a survey conducted by the Agency in 2020 revealed that, due to changes in lifestyle, opportunities for Japanese people to write characters with a brush have become extremely rare, as have opportunities to appreciate calligraphy.
Shodo is the art of writing characters, primarily using a brush and ink, usually on paper. It is said that kanji characters were introduced to Japan from China in the 5th century, along with the study of calligraphy techniques. While it is necessary to preserve and pass down this art and skill steeped in history, it is interesting to note that new styles have been developed to suit the times.
From the Muromachi period onward, the tea ceremony gained prominence, and calligraphy scrolls, known as "bokuseki" (ink traces) written by Zen monks, began to be used at tea gatherings. Additionally, in the Heian period around 900 AD, hiragana was created, and by the mid-Heian period, a uniquely Japanese calligraphy style known as "wayō" emerged. During this period, waka poetry flourished, and kana calligraphy techniques such as "chirashi-gaki" (scattered writing) and "renmen" (continuous writing) were developed.
During the Edo period, when Japan was largely isolated from the world, the country’s unique culture flourished, and new forms of calligraphy emerged. In the early Edo period, the "Three Calligraphy Masters of the Kan’ei Era" – Konoe Nobutada, Hon'ami Kōetsu, and Shōkadō Shōjō – made significant contributions. In the mid-Edo period, well-known figures like Mori Yūzan, Konoe Iehiro, Katō Chikage, and Ike no Taiga appeared. In the modern era, influenced by Western ideas, museums and galleries were established, and calligraphy began to be exhibited in such venues. Calligraphy associations formed by calligraphers became central to preserving traditional Shodo today.
Because Shodo is a cultural form with a rich tradition that has been accumulated and passed down, the government recognized its value by registering it as an Intangible Cultural Property. Looking back at history, we see that innovative expressions have emerged over time, so I’d like to reflect on what "Sho" might look like in our current era. At the New York “The Art of Sho" exhibition, we will showcase works that freely express calligraphy as a culture that resonates with our modern society, which is shaped by cutting-edge technologies like AI and the global context, while honoring the traditional "wayō" style unique to Japan.
Calligraphy, broadly speaking, is the artistic expression of words and characters. In Western contexts, particularly within American art, graffiti can be viewed as a contemporary counterpart to traditional calligraphy. With this perspective in mind, New York-based artists Belowkey and Kate Fauvell + Gustavo Fernandez will present their innovative "Sho" works, reinterpreting calligraphy through their unique styles. Additionally, Bipasha Hayat from Bangladesh and Loy Luo from China will exhibit works that reflect their own distinctive calligraphy traditions, offering a diverse exploration of this timeless art form.
—Kyoko Sato
[ Agency for Cultural Affairs. (2021). Registration of Shodo as an Intangible Cultural Property. Agency for Cultural Affairs.
[Grand Prize] Kouha
In 1977, Kouha graduated from Osaka University of Arts, Junior College Division, majoring in Oil Painting. In 2003, she studied abroad at Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade. She studied under Houen Hayashida (1926-1997, calligrapher, member of the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition council) and Ong Soqing (ink painting artist). Kouha participated in notable exhibitions, including the Akatsuki Calligraphy Academy Exhibition (1997, Beijing Palace Museum), the Japan-China Friendship Exhibition at the Wu Changshuo Memorial Hall in Shanghai (1999), the Contemporary Kyoto Ink Painting Exhibition (2013, 2014), the 15th Japan-France Contemporary Art World Exhibition (2014, National Art Center, Tokyo, selected), the 47th Belgium-Netherlands Art Award Exhibition (2015, Excellence Award), the 19th Japan-France Contemporary Art Exhibition (2017, selected), and the 50th Spain Art Award Exhibition (2018, recommended work).
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