Sanki Art Exhibition: Big and Bold

Currently showing at the Tokyo National Art Museum is the 66th Sanki Art Exhibition of painters, sculptors, photographers, metal smiths, ceramic and fiber artists.  Big and Bold was my first impression yesterday as I stepped into the gallery of huge, brightly colored paintings.

As I moved through the exhibition, even the large variety of mediums still were consistently worked in large sizes and bold colors and sometimes in bold subjects. Enjoy a few of  my favorites from the exhibition:

IMG_0018I normally prefer 3D pieces, usually in metals or fibers or any combination thereof, however every once in a while a piece really makes a big impression on me. I loved this piece. Only the feet and edges of a person can be seen walking and it’s like the rest of the painting shows the infinite inside each of us. Our infinite strength, infinite potential, infinite love, infinite spirit…

IMG_0031This artist created individual leaves from fabric and added color and embroidery work to create the dimension we would see and feel in a real tree.

IMG_0029 IMG_0028 The amount of detailed stitches in this piece must have taken a very, very long time. The piece is over a 150cm high and the tweedy plaid pattern details are not material attached but it is the meticulous hand stitching created by the artist. That takes infinite patience.

IMG_0026 This printed textile of adorable hippos is another big and bold pieces beautifully done.

IMG_0021 IMG_0020 This gorgeous floral sculpture is created completely from the same material used to create the good luck knots on traditional Japanese envelopes given at weddings. A beautiful creative use of this material!

IMG_0024 This lonely pufferfish was one of the few whimsical pieces in the exhibition, making it a standout piece for me. The exhibition is open through Mon, May 26, 2014. I highly recommend it!

Published by Studio Deanna

Metals + Fibers + Writing