Contemporary Japanese Calligraphy Exhibition Begins in Paris

A two-month exhibition of contemporary Japanese calligraphy featuring works by a variety of artists began at the national Guimet Museum of Asian Arts in Paris on March 14.

Organized to demonstrate the essence of contemporary Japanese calligraphy, the exhibition features contemporary artworks by 41 artists, including five renowned late calligraphers such as Otei Kaneko.

On March 13, the museum held an opening ceremony that was attended by a large number of visitors and officials, among whom were Olivier de Bernon, the museum's curator, Hiroyuki Shimatani the exhibition's supervisor from the Tokyo National Museum, and Yutaka Asahina, president of Mainichi Newspapers.

The ceremony kicked off with a special musical performance by the Paris police orchestra and a live calligraphy demonstration by artist Shiko Miyazaki and Hakko Ishitobi, director of the Mainichi Shodokai.

According to organizers, the exhibition will also feature calligraphy workshops and other events for the public. Many hope that the two-month event will deepen international cultural exchange between the two countries. Parts of the exhibits will be donated to the museum after the exhibition's end, sources said.

The exhibition runs through May 14.

An example of contemporary abstract Japanese calligraphy

Source: The Mainichi Daily News