Exhibitions

Masks are present in many cultures. Perhaps they are expressions of man's desire to escape his human existence.

"Kami" (Japanese paper) is a group exhibition of contemporary Japanese paper art. The artists are: Asakura Syunsuke (b.1957), Iwamura Shinichi, Yamashita Fusae, Naito Kinuko (b.1970), and Shimakawa Yasuhiro (b.1964).

The exhibition presents works by contemporary Japanese designers who have been inspired by the renowned artist Toshusai Sharaku (active 1794-1795).

While still a student of architecture at Tokyo University, Oki (b. 1964) began creating videos that gave visual expression to his abstract architectural concepts.

The Japanese artist Tsuchida Eliya was born in Tokyo in 1974. Unlike the many Japanese who regularly read manga (comics) during their childhood and youth, Tsuchida never showed any interest in them.

In China, ideograms developed from paintings, and the script became integral to the work of art, especially to painting.

Over the years, Ms. Shulamit Rubinfien of California has donated many Japanese works of art to the Tikotin Museum of Japanese Art, including decorated folding screens (byobu), and modern Japanese prints.

Many of the traditional festivals in Taiwan derive from the farmer's year, and offer the hardworking agricultural labourers a little relaxation from their efforts.

Foreigners visiting Japan often encounter groups of teenage schoolgirls, many of whom can be seen on the trains, absorbed in thick manga boolets such as the special edition of Betsuma-Maagareto (Margaret) or Gekkan Lala (Monthly Lala).

Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806), who died just 200 years ago, was one of the most productive and creative artists of the ukiyo-e ("pictures from the floating world") school.