This 88th-Birthday Exhibition showcases the works of Nobutaka Oka, who studied from age 18 to 32 at Seiryusha, Nihonga art circle, then led by his grandfather Ryushi Kawabata, but who remained consistently unaffiliated afterward. Small-scale works painted with renewed resolve exude a feeling based on “Don’t forget the flowers that come and go each year,” a line from Fushikaden, an essay by Noh dramatist Zeami Motokiyo that fed and nourished the spirit of Nobutaka Oka by giving him rich food for thought. Also showcased are representative large-scale works in this first of touring birthday exhibitions to be shown at Takashimaya’s four venues in 2020.

Nobutaka Oka 1932~
Born in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture. Graduates Tamagawa Gakuen and joins Seiryusha Institute (1950) on recommendation of grandfather (Ryushi Kawabata), then begins submitting work to Seiryusha Exhibition. After being his grandfather’s clerk, Oka joins Seiryusha in 1961. Commissioned works for temples include the ceiling painting at Dairen-ji (Kawasaki), ceiling paintings of the corridor linked to Zenko-ji’s main hall (Nagano Prefecture), and Zojo-ji’s sliding door and ceiling paintings (Tokyo). Recognition includes his receiving in 2000 the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon.

Fumiko Hori: Flowers in the Field
Fumiko Hori set up ateliers in Karuizawa and Tuscany, Italy, in addition to her home in Oiso, immersing herself in nature, invoking a natural sensibility that led to significant artistic growth. This exhibition focuses on paintings of wildflowers blooming in fields, depicted by an artist who loved flowers throughout her life, looking at the flow of life in plants.

Fumiko Hori 1918–2019
Born in Tokyo, and graduates Nihonga Course, Private Women’s School of Fine Arts (now Joshibi University of Art and Design). Wins Second Uemura Shoen Award. Former Soga-kai member but is independent and unaffiliated with any circle. Using nature as a motif, she creates many invigorating, poetic landscapes and kacho-ga (birds-and-flowers paintings) with her translucent, graceful palette. Just before turning 70, Hori moves to Italy and during five-year sojourns between Japan and Italy, she produces many Tuscan landscape works. After return, she continues addressing new themes, including her research trip to Central and South America and the Himalayas, creating one after another unique Nihonga masterworks.

Natural light and wind are palpable in Ogasawara's landscape paintings based on his thoroughgoing research and sketches. His palette of mineral pigments on gold is highly dignified and rendered with a simple, tender expression. The exhibition showcases spring to early summer scenes like satoyama (mountain village life) settings of cherry blossoms and other flowers as well as valley waterscapes.

Hajime Ogasawara 1954~
Born in Saitama Prefecture. Coming from a family temple in Taito Ward, Tokyo, Ogasawara is a Buddhist priest. Completes graduate course, Musashino Art University. While at school he studies under Takashi Asada and Takehiko Mori. After graduation, he continues submitting works at Soga Exhibition, winning recognition. In 1991, he wins Excellence Award at the 11th Yamatane Museum of Art Awards Exhibition. Since then, he has been active mainly in solo exhibitions. An artist of intimate, realistic depiction, he doesn’t use a camera for research, valuing once-in-a-lifetime chances of capturing scenes while considering evocation of the feeling for each site to be essential.

This signature exhibition of works in our collection showcases Haru Moyu, a representative work of Toshio Tabuchi, honored as the Person of Cultural Merit in 2019, along with works by such giants who received the Order of Cultural Merit as Ikuo Hirayama, Matazo Kayama, Kaii Higashiyama and Tatsuo Takayama, as well as outstanding works by Yuki Sekiguchi, Yoshihiko Yoshida, Kazuho Hieda, Takehiko Mori, Susumu Maki, Rieko Morita, Takeshi Ushio, and Hirohiko Hiraiwa. Presentation of these masterworks lets you appreciate the width and depth of contemporary Nihonga.