Portland Japanese Garden

Art in the Garden 2009

Shodo: The Way of the Brush

The Calligraphy of Yoshiyasu Fujii and the Meito Shodo Kai

February 15–22, 2009

The second year of the Art in the Garden series begins with an exhibition of fine calligraphy by Master Calligrapher Yoshiyasu Fujii of Tokyo with work by members of the Meito Shodo Kai. Fujii Sensei began the study of calligraphy at the age of five in his childhood home of Saga, Japan. He studied under Master Calligrapher Shumpo Akashi, with whom he continued to study until Akashi's death in 1995. While studying with Akashi, Fujii studied sumi-e painting and pursued his interest in the history, not only of Japanese calligraphy, but of Chinese classical calligraphy in addition to all of the traditional calligraphy writing styles.

Mr. Fujii is the recipient of many honors, including top award at Mainichi Calligraphy Competition, Japan's oldest, largest, and most prestigious calligraphy competition, in 1990 and 1992. He has served as assistant judge at the Mainichi Calligraphy Competition and is the only calligraphy instructor in the U.S. licensed by the Japanese Ministry of Education.

The exhibition features work by Fujii Sensei, as well as that of selected students of the Meito Shodo-Kai (Meito Japanese Calligraphy Association). The Meito Shodo Kai is a non-profit organization established in 1996 by students of the Akashi USA calligraphy schools, the largest Japanese calligraphy association in the United States with over one hundred members, many of whom have received top awards at prestigious calligraphy competitions in Japan and the US. The purpose of the group is to promote the tradition of Japanese calligraphy in the US through education and exhibition.

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Calligraphy Demonstrations by Fujii Sensei

February 15 & 22 at 1pm

Free to members or with regular Garden admission

No Reservation Needed

The opening demonstration on Sunday, February 15th, will also include a light reception for the artists.

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Lecture

An Art of Line and Gesture: Understanding Japanese Calligraphy

Dr. Maribeth Graybill, Portland Art Museum's Curator of Asian Art

February 21, 2009

2pm, in the Portland Japanese Garden Pavilion

Free to Garden members, $12 for nonmembers

SOLD OUT

Throughout East Asia, calligraphy has historically been considered the highest form of artistic practice. In China, Korea, or Japan, calligraphy is more than "beautiful writing." The difficulty of mastering Chinese characters meant that years of study were required just to be able to read, while writing became a vehicle for the display of erudition. Calligraphy practice was seen as a way to discipline the mind and build character. To audiences not trained in the tradition, however, this art form can seem intimidating. In an illustrated introduction to some of the great masterpieces of Japanese calligraphy, Dr. Maribeth Graybill will show how it is possible for anyone to appreciate this art of line and gesture.

Dr. Graybill joined the staff of the Portland Art Museum in the fall of 2007, and is now The Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Asian Art. She had previously taught at the college level for twenty years, principally at the University of California, Berkeley and Swarthmore College, and served as the Senior Curator for Asian art at the University of Michigan Museum of Art. Dr. Graybill has travelled widely through Asia to research sacred architecture, one of her major interests. She has lived in Japan for more than eight years and is fluent in Japanese. Her published research focuses primarily on Japanese narrative art and portraiture. Most recently she was co-editor for Gender and Power in the Japanese Visual Field (with Joshua Mostow; University of Hawai’i Press, 2003).

Reservations

The lecture event is now sold out. Please call (503) 542-0280 with any questions. Space is limited, reservations required. Thank you!