Classic × Modern 2020: Japanese Art Beyond Time and Space
I visited “Classic × Modern 2020: Japanese Art Beyond Time and Space.” The venue is The National Art Center, Tokyo.
Sengai × Kishio Suga
A space in which circles (“〇”) and squares seem to speak of something.
In Zen, the ensō (circle) expresses the state of enlightenment; Sengai’s gesture of eating the ensō to erase it seems to embed the Buddhist idea of “kū” (emptiness).
That same breath can be felt in Kishio Suga’s works.
Bird-and-Flower Paintings × Rinko Kawauchi
An encounter between Edo-period bird-and-flower paintings — including works by Ito Jakuchu — and the “life” expressed by photographer Rinko Kawauchi.
Enku × Koji Tanada
Enku, a monk of the Edo period (1632–1695), and Koji Tanada face each other across time through the technique of “ichiboku-zukuri” (single-block wood carving).
Swords × Tomoko Konoike
The staging in which viewers move as if slicing through Tomoko Konoike’s “Skin Curtain” was superbly done.
Buddhist Statues × Tsuyoshi Tane
The Nikko Bosatsu and Gakko Bosatsu — bodhisattvas said to symbolize the sun and the moon — were framed by a play of light that led into a deeply rewarding viewing experience.
Hokusai × Kotobuki Shiriagari
A display of parody works by Kotobuki Shiriagari, a great admirer of Hokusai, together with new “yurume-shon” (“loose-style animation”) pieces — viewers couldn’t help but smile.
Kenzan × Akira Minagawa
A collaboration between Ogata Kenzan, an Edo-period potter, and Akira Minagawa, the designer behind “mina perhonen.”
It was a challenging project that fused disparate materials into one.
Shohaku × Tadanori Yokoo
The final gallery brought together these two eccentric painters, each radiating a fierce individuality.
Their powerful works closed the exhibition on a strong note.
