Fun Toba Mika's exhibition

 

Thanks to M&T's invitation, we went to attend a new exhibition by  famous Japanese artist Toba Mika in Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu), Hanoi. This was her opening ceremony to a 3 - week exhibition until 26th Dec in both Văn Miếu and Fine Art Museum during the celebration of Hanoi million anniversary and Nara 1300 years anniversary.

       

The artist Toba Mika is Professor at Kyoto Seika University of Arts
She has been to Viet nam about 20 times from 1994

My first time to learn about Katazome, so this made me curious and excited to go. Katazome is one of the very traditional dyeing methods in Japan, using a resist paste applied through a stencil. I'm sure it requires a lot of work, patience & fineness to complete such many steps from painting. Last time, our friends shared us the website of this artist -Toba Mika who is one of famous Japanese modern artist  bringing Katazome into her work of arts. Actually her screen paintings have made attendants inspired by the lively beautiful features in them. Here are some pics about the opening exhibition.

Main yard of Van Mieu to the ceremony place

The traditional ceremony of launching in Japan is to break the big sake bottle.

 

Yakushi-ji - one of the most famous imperial and ancient Buddhism temples in Nara, Japan

Toba Mika has explored the beauty and spirituality of cloth, making a blank screen cloth to be a lively screen painting. She has a great love about the two countries Japan - Vietnam. Many paintings about beautiful places of Vietnam had been captured in her works which I really like a lot.

Mỹ Sơn Holyland through the art by Toba Mika                  

 Huế in Toba Mika 's painting

It's amazing to combine fabric & dye in art of painting - Đà Nẵng's corner

I like the simplicity, familiarity in her katozome-skilled paintings about Vietnam. This was an enjoyable time to spend.

Hà Nội's corner

Sword Lake , Hanoi

Hanoi's corner - I like this painting a lot due to it's modesty.

Advertisement on wall - very Vietnamese ;-)

An old gate to small alley - kind of popular in Hanoi downtown  

After the exhibition, what I feel was the appreciation to the love that this artist has given to Vietnam. Also I was impressed by the beauty of Nara city, from where Japan developed & expanded. It is a well-preserved charming city with many Japan's World Heritages , besidesYakushi-ji temple. 

I look forward to seeing more from her next coming up exhibition in Vietnam. 

So here are exhibitions of Toba Mika in Vietnam:

Toba Mika-Katazome and Vietnam Scenery, Hanoi, 2001-2002
Toba Mika Exhibition:10 years of memory about Vietnam landscape 1994-2003), Hanoi & HCMC, 2003

Toba Mika Exhibition:Playing an eternal song of heart in Old City Hue, Hue, 2005

Nara and Hanoi - the connection of national palaces, Hanoi, 2010