ONGOING ASIA WEEK NEW YORK EXHIBITION
Masterpieces of Japanese Art: A Timeless Dialogue
March 14 – April 2025
Exhibiting at: Joan B Mirviss LTD, 39 East 78th Street, Suite 401
Asia Week Hours: March 14 & 17-21, 11am-6pm; March 15, 11am-5pm; March 16, 12-5pm (otherwise by appointment)
We are delighted to present a remarkable selection of works by some of Japan’s influential modern and contemporary artists. This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to experience the depth, innovation, and spiritual resonance of Japanese artistic expression, including works by Zen calligrapher and poet, Hakuin Ekaku (1685-1768), and mingei (folk art) woodblock printer, Munakata Shikō (1903-1975), whose dynamic, expressive lines capture the essence of Japanese spirituality and folklore.
Spanning multiple artistic movements and mediums, the exhibition presents masterpieces by Yamaguchi Takeo (1902-1983) and Onosato Toshinobu (1912-1986), pioneers of Japanese abstraction whose bold compositions reflect a unique synthesis of geometry and intuition, Shimamoto Shōzō (1928-2013) a key member of the Gutai Art Association, Yūichi Inoue (1916-1985), a revolutionary avant-garde calligrapher who transformed the written word into an explosive form of personal expression, and Murakami Kagaku (1888-1939) and Maeda Seison (1885-1977), two visionaries of Nihonga (Japanese-style painting), who redefined traditional aesthetics with modern sensibilities.
This carefully curated exhibition sheds light on the artistic evolution of Japan, highlighting the profound connections between calligraphy, painting, and avant-garde experimentation. Visitors will encounter works that challenge conventions, embrace spontaneity, and evoke timeless spiritual and philosophical themes. From the bold abstraction of the postwar era to the meditative brushwork of Zen calligraphy, this exhibition reveals the enduring power and innovation within Japanese artistic traditions.
We are delighted to present these works in New York City alongside BEYOND THE SURFACE: The Unity of Form and Pattern in the Work of Wada Morihiro (1944-2008), the first comprehensive retrospective for this seminal clay master.
To learn more, click here.
UPCOMING EXHIBITION IN JAPAN
Yamagami Shimpei Photography Exhibition: Echoes of Unseen
Shibunkaku Ginza
April 18 – 26, 2025
10am-6pm
We are pleased to announce the solo exhibition “Echoes of Unseen” by the emerging photographer Yamagami Shimpei. This second exhibition with us marks the artist’s inaugural presentation of exclusively large-format works.
Yamagami immersed himself in the harsh winter of Saga while residing at Saga House, attempting to capture something invisible to the naked eye. The resulting works resonate deeply with viewers, allowing them to sense the things that the artist vividly felt in the depths of his heart, and to experience the breath of life in all things in nature.
The exhibition will be held at two venues: Saga House and Shibunkaku Ginza.
To learn more, click here.
Saga House
Saga House is our art-in-residence program in the heart of Sagano, an area in Kyoto famed for its scenic views and its deep connection to Japanese culture.
Sagano became the place of origin of the classical poem anthology Hyakunin isshu (One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets) when the Heian-period courtier Fujiwara no Sadaie selected poems by one hundred of the most celebrated waka poets, one poem each, to write them in graceful calligraphy on shikishi paper and adorn his mountain retreat in Saga’s Ogurayama district.
In tangible and intangible ways, Sadaie’s unique anthology continues to influence the life of the Japanese people to the present day.
The people of Kyoto, who cherish their traditional culture like nowhere else in Japan, at the same time embrace a progressive spirit that nourishes on new cultural developments in Japan and abroad, and aim to to develop such influences further into something of their own.
Our concept of Wanobi—the Beauty of Japan—is born in this area.
We are looking forward to welcoming creative spirits to these surroundings of Kyoto and Sagano, hoping to inspire timeless art that fuses the old with the new, reveals hidden beauty and spurs ideas and ambition.
To learn more, click here.
About Us
The Shibunkaku Group is an art and culture corporation that is dedicated to the promotion of high-quality Japanese art and culture to the international audience and clients. We are dedicated to the inheritance, promotion and creation of the best-quality art and culture. Since our establishment in 1937, we have been committed to the inheritance of Japanese culture through art and antiquarian book dealing, gallery operation and publishing businesses.
