Kanji You Can Feel: Nishikawa Yasushi, Aoyama San’u, Teshima Yukei, and Others
January 4 (Mon) - January 23 (Sat), 2016
Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

This exhibition, “Kanji You Can Feel: Nishikawa Yasushi, Aoyama San’u, Teshima
Yukei, and Others” consists of calligraphy collection of Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum.
In January each year, we hold an exhibition to showcase the works of calligraphy in its
collection. The works are presented under a different theme each year in order to makeapparent their beauty and power, and to disclose the history of contemporarycalligraphy that has unfolded in the galleries of this museum.
This year, the exhibition looks at “kanji calligraphy.” Kanji calligraphy, an ancient art
conveyed to Japan from China, underwent a period of remarkable change after WorldWar II. One phenomenon of this period, occurring in the field of traditional calligraphy,
was the popularity of Ming and Qing styles and flourishing interest in calligraphy
inspired by inscriptions on ancient bronzes and stone monuments (higaku). As
contemporary calligraphy evolved from practical, scholarly texts to the appreciation ofcalligraphic works mounted on high walls in art museums, the style of long hanging
scrolls of the Ming and Qing dynasties resonated with the romanticism of post-war
Japan and won popularity. Furthermore, amid ardent interest in bronze scripts prior toWang Xizhi (303-361) and stone carved scripts of Qin and Han styles, calligraphers
working in styles inspired by ancient bronze and stone inscriptions, particularly
NISHIKAWA Yasushi and AOYAMA San’u, produced profoundly expressive works, rich invariation.
Another phenomenon of this period, occurring in contemporary kanji calligraphy, wasthe birth of shojisu-sho (Large Character Calligraph), fostered by TESHIMA Yukei and
MATSUI Joryu. By limiting themselves to one or two characters and, at times, using
gray ink to emphasize the shape of a character, they developed calligraphy that wasmore easily read and felt and, thus, more suited to artistic appreciation.
The exhibition will enable viewers to follow kanji calligraphy’s development, thus, as acontemporary, expressive art form.
An exhibition “TOKYO “SHO” 2016: Japanese Calligraphy Today” (Period: January 4~16/Venue: LBF Citizens' Gallery 1 and Gallery 2) is held simultaneously. It is a joint

exhibition by 38 young and mid-career artists, chosen from calligraphy artist groups
mainly based in Tokyo. We hope that it will offer viewers deeper appreciation ofcalligraphy.
Finally, we wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to those lenders who have offered
their precious objects for inclusion in the exhibition, and the respective organizations,cooperating institutions, and others who have collaborated with us in holding thisexhibition.

List of WorksNo.

ArtistTitleYearCollection

1

Bundo ShunkaiWise Saying

1958 Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

2

Bundo Shunkai

Peace of Mind, in Cursive Style

3

Kaneko Otei

Turn Away from Worldly Pursuits to Seek Comfort inNature

1966 The Japan Art Academy

4

Sumiyama Nanboku

Magnanimity

1970 Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

5

Nakano Etsunan

Long Life as a MountainTokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

6

Kawamura Kizan

Fresh Breezes and the Bright Moon areInexhaustible, Enjoyment of Them is also
Inexhaustible

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

7

Hirotsu Unzen

Zen Words (A Universal Truth, such as thePermanent and Perfect Circle)

1972 Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

8Matsumoto HosuiConsolation

1958 Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

9Kaneda Shinsho

Bodhisattva

1972 Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

10 Murakami SantoAutumn Day

1970 Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

11 Murakami Santo

Poem Dedicated to Gao Shiyan by Du Fu

1967 The Japan Art Academy

12 Yanagida Taiun

Words of Suikodo Kenso

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

13 Izumihara Juseki

Book of Serenity

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

14 Sato Yugo

Two Poems made in Mount Tianmu by Zhongfeng, aBuddhist Priest of the Yuan Period1970 Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

15 Yamazaki Setsudo

A Passage from Xiaojing (The Classic of Filial Piety)

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

16 Yamazaki Setsudo

Chinese Style Poem by Takano Rantei about
Climbing the Kisshokaku Pavilion in the Snow

1975 Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

17 Teshima Yukei

Profusion of Flowers

1968 Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

18 Teshima Yukei

Kan (Contemplation)

1963 Hikaru Museum

19 Teshima Yukei

Ishi (Stone)

1962 Dokuritsu Shojindan Foundation

20 Matsui Joryu

Hin (Elegance)

1971 Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

21 Aoyama San'u

Our World Abounds with Annoying Noises, Such as
the Commotion of Coaches and Horses

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

22 Aoyama San'u

Copy of Ancient Ceramic Inscriptions

The Japan Art Academy

23 Aoyama San'u

Tang Poetry

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

24 Nishikawa Yasushi

Relief1965 Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

25 Nishikawa Yasushi

Saying Nothing, but Still Smiling1971 Tokyo National Museum

26 Nishikawa Yasushi

Praying Mantis

1975 Tokyo National Museum

Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum