A Constant Spotlight on Japanese Art in NYC

Tenri Cultural Institute hosts a variety of wonderful concerts and other cultural events, including frequent art shows which sometimes include live demonstrations. I’ve been lucky enough to attend several, and wanted to share my impressions of the June exhibitions.

Flower Garden by Eri Komiyama

Flower Garden ran from June 2nd to 7th and there couldn’t have been a more fitting title for the exhibit. Eri Komiyama’s tapestries were amazing representations of a great variety of vibrant flowers with complimentary background colors to appropriately highlight the subjects of each work. She combines a trio of traditional dying techniques to create these intricate, highly detailed images that are as beautiful as the flowers they depict. Every single tapestry on display was just stunning.

More information about Eri Komiyama and her art can be found here.

Silence and Movement by Yuriko Tateishi

Unfortunately I forgot my camera on the night of the opening of Silence and Movement (which ran from June 8th until the 14th), which is a shame because there was an incredible live demonstration by Yuriko Tateishi. She first wrote a poem on a sheer sheet/curtain, showing an amazingly deft touch to write so beautifully on such thin, loose material. She then demonstrated a different application of her art, drawing a single character with a huge brush on a sheet of paper nearly as large as the sheet she did the poem on. It was fascinating watching the skill and craft on display as she created her art.

Tateishi’s stark, stylistic creations are gorgeous. I later had the opportunity to talk with her a bit (with translation help from a friend). She is wonderfully gracious and friendly, and it was fascinating getting to hear a little about the particulars of her art (such as the necessity of using her entire body in the writing process as opposed to just her arm) and have her explain the meanings of the characters she had drawn on the beautiful fans available for purchase.

More information about Yuriko Tateishi and her art can be found here.

Fusion of Japanese Calligraphy and Painting by Rihaku Inoue & Koichi Terai

The current exhibition (ending June 21st) is a creative combination of painting and calligraphy. I was again lucky enough to have the opportunity to attend the opening and see a live demonstration (and even remembered my camera this time 🙂 ). Inoue’s grace and artistry was a pleasure to watch as she wrote over Terai’s colorful paintings.

The collaborative element of the art is exquisite. Terai’s evocative paintings blend color to phenomenal effect and are the perfect compliment to Inoue’s striking calligraphy over top of them. The separate elements come together seamlessly into gorgeous finished pieces.

More information about Rihaku Inoue and Kochi Terai and their art can be found here.

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I thoroughly enjoyed all of the above exhibits, and they are just a small sample of the incredible art and experiences Tenri Cultural Institute brings into the heart of NYC.