In December, approximately 250 artists selected from all over Japan, who were influenced by Sesshu and other famous artists such as Sesshu Yang, the founder of Japanese ink painting in the Muromachi period, will gather at the National Art Center, Tokyo in Roppongi, Tokyo. Approximately 300 diverse works of calligraphy and painting, ranging from traditional to contemporary, will be on display.
Six of Sesshu’s works have been designated as national treasures, which is still unprecedented in Japan. The exhibition will also feature several reproductions of Sesshu’s masterpiece, “Landscapes of the Four Seasons,” a 16-meter long picture scroll, in which Sesshu thoroughly researched new possibilities for expression using brush and ink.
The Sesshu International Art Association Exhibition, now in its 30th year, has attracted a large number of foreigners interested in Japan every year, making it a fittingly named “international” exhibition.
This year’s exhibition will also convey the splendor of art that transcends national borders.
●Supporting Artistic Activities of Students of Art Universities
As special student exhibits, student works from two schools, “J. F. Oberlin University School of Art and Design” and “Nihon University College of Art and Design” will be displayed.
J. F. Oberlin University, which will be exhibiting for the sixth time, will hold a gallery talk in which seven students will share their thoughts on their artwork, facilitated by Professor Izumi Fujisaki, a member of the Sesshu International Art Association. The Nihon University College of Art, which will be exhibiting for the second time, began its history as the first comprehensive art department in Japan with the creation of the Department of Aesthetics in 1921, and will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2021. This exhibition will feature the works of seven students.