The Wild (non) West

Outside of the west we see art take many different shapes as the cultural influences vary wildly across the globe. Personally I've always been facinated with the rich Japanese culture and recently I took a few weeks to myself in Ebisu, Tokyo to explore and take in the sights, art included. Below are some of my favorite finds from the trip and a little back story to go along!



Japanese Spirit No. 14, Tenmyouya Hisashi, Tokyo, Japan, 2002



The first time I saw a painting from Hisashi I felt immediately drawn to the style because of it's unique mix of traditional and new age influence. In this piece and many of the works he paints, he takes traditional Japanese figures and throws them into post-apocalyptic settings, often which feature mechanical limbs and absurd features. The style he uses is one that he's pioneered called "Neo-Nihonga" which he developed in 2001. The style is meant to preserve Japanese culture while putting an edgy twist on the more conservative pieces of the past in order to bring them into the future. In Japanese Spirit No.14 we can see the piece is done on gold foil paper, a traditional technique, and features a warrior riding a mechanical beast suited in traditional samurai armor and prayer tags. This is piece only scratches the surface of the Neo-Nihonga style so if you're interested in more like this please see the link at the end! 




 

Statue of Hachiko, Takeshi Ando, Tokyo, Japan, 1948



(Photo by me)


The next piece I'd like to highlight comes in the form of a statue of a little dog named Hachiko with a sad back story. If you've ever traveled to Tokyo and seen the worlds busiest crosswalk at Shibuya Station (not a joke, google it), chances are you've probably encountered Hachiko and seen locals and tourists posing for pictures in front of the statue. Originally done in the late 1940s, the statue commemorates an old story of a man and his dog that use to frequent the station in route to work during the 1920s. After his owner passed during the late 1920s it's said that Hachiko arrived at the train station every day for 9 years until his death in 1935. The statue isn't much on the surface as it's relatively plain, yet well done. From visiting it myself I was able to gain a unique perspective that I think adds to the piece in that the top of the dog's head is worn smooth from the millions of pets he still receives a day. I think the piece encapsulates the value of honor and loyalty in the Japanese tradition.



Hie-Jinja Shrine, Tokyo, Japan, 1478 (Photo by me)



The last piece that I'd like to highlight comes in the form of Shrine nestled in the heart of Tokyo. The Hie-Jinja Shrine was built in 1478, which makes it fairly new the world of ancient architecture but paired with the high-tech skyscrapers and bustling vehicle traffic around it, it seems much much older. Thats the main thing that I loved about visiting. The artistry and detail on the building and its surroundings is breath taking and the structure stands untouched by modern hands like a piece of well kept history. With space being a luxury in modern day Tokyo, the grounds of the shrine take up as much room as they once did and stand defiant to the cramped quarters of the newer buildings. The most eye catching part for me came in the shrine's giant expanse of Tori Gates towards the back of the grounds. The detail and the color was intense and walking through the gates felt like moving into another world.

(Photo by me)

(Photo by me)





Thank you for reading all my blogs this semester, it's been very fun to explore art with all of you and best of luck!


Works Cited
1. "HISASHI TENMYOUYA | Christie's." Christie’s | Fine Art, Luxury & Antiques | Auctions & Private Sales, www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5446042. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

2. Japan National Tourism Organization. "Hie-jinja Shrine | Travel Japan - Japan National Tourism Organization (Official Site)." Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), www.japan.travel/en/spot/1732/. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

3. "Nihonga Movement Overview." The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/movement/nihonga/. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.




Comments

  1. Thank you for sharing your personal experience and photos from here! My dad visited these exact locations a few years ago and has similar stories, as well. The story about the dog statue is extremely heartwarming. It makes me wonder just how many people have given that dog a pet on the head! First-hand experiences like these can never be duplicated by what we see only in books. Safe travels in your future!

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  2. Hi! This was an amazing blog! I loved that I got to learn about many different arts in Tokyo related to Japanese culture. As for the Hachi statue, that is one of my favorite stories and I'm glad to hear he's receiving many pets to this day. I'm really amazed at the art from the Japanese culture or any art from any foreign country as it's soooo different from art in America and in my opinion, better. It's amazing to see how such old structures were kept in such well preserved conditions and as old as they are, seem brand new. I love how the art work is painted in the bright colors they chose so that they stand out more against other structures and how different the structures are from other countries. It makes it more original. Thank you for sharing!

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