Special Exhibition: What Kind of Art Is Calligraphy? — Starting from Tenrai and Nankoku Hidai

About this event

The word "sho" (calligraphy) may remind many people of using a brush to write characters during penmanship classes in elementary or junior high school Japanese language courses. However, that is only one aspect of calligraphic expression; in reality, it is a rich and diverse art form. While calligraphy is generally defined as a plastic art using characters as its material, the point of "using characters as material" leaves room for debate. Not only works derived or developed from characters—such as avant-garde calligraphy—but also works that do not originate from characters should be included within the scope of calligraphy. So, what kind of art is calligraphy really? In response to this question, calligrapher Tenrai Hidai, a native of Nagano Prefecture, and his son, calligrapher Nankoku Hidai, created numerous works based on their respective philosophies, leaving a significant impact on the calligraphy world. Through the works of Tenrai and Nankoku, as well as those of avant-garde artists active in the same era as Nankoku, this exhibition reconsiders the essence of "sho."

Venue

Saku City Museum of Modern Art, Yui Ichiji Memorial Hall

35-5 Sarukubo, Saku-shi, Nagano 385-0011