Calligraphy (Shodo)—a pillar of Japanese culture and art. Through the calligraphy of representative works by Kakinuma Koji, this exhibition will probe the questions “What is contemporary calligraphy?” and “What are the artistic and creative aspects of calligraphy?” Kakinuma, who considers himself a “person, artist, and calligrapher,” has called calligraphy an artistic medium “expressing the now with sincerity, freshness and vitality, while drawing from roots in the classics.” We will present the world of Kakinuma Koji, who approaches calligraphy as a contemporary expressive means, without fear of its venerable history.

*image (left)
KAKINUMA Koji, BEAT, 2011
The artist with his artwork
Photo: NOSE Katsuich
courtesy of the artist and 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art