At the “Udatsu no Kougeikan” in Fukui Prefecture, the exhibition “The world of ARAI Keiko – Between ink and washi -” is being held.
The exhibition is held in accordance with the 1300th annual festival of Okamoto Shrine / Otaki Shrine in Echizen City. Author is ARAI Keiko living in Chiba prefecture. She is a contemporary artist who creates works using ink.
The fusuma (sliding door) picture entitled “Entrusting and Transferring” is displayed on the first floor. It consists of 8 pieces in total, 32 pieces in total. Draws the movements of the minds of paper makers who continue from the origin of Echizen Washi to the future.
Painting materials are handmade Japanese paper of Iwano Heizaburo Paper Mill (Echizen City) and “Hyakusenboku” of Bokuundo (Nara City).
The work was dedicated to Okamoto Shrine / Otaki Shrine.
She says, “A big handmade Japanese paper is unusual nationwide. I made works that made use of the 100 kinds of coloring inks such as blue and brown. However it is unable to redo, bleeding and other unexpected developments also show attractive expression of ink.”
She opens and closes the door and explains. “The fun of door painting is that the rhythm changes as the margin changes. There is a taste called interactive art with emotion. I feel regrettable that door painting is getting rid of from the lives of Japanese people.”
“Entrusment and transformation” was produced for three years. Since it is a work dedicated to the shrine, it is open to the public only during the period.
In addition to door painting, on the second floor, about 20 pieces of works she published in the past will be exhibited.
A talk show will be held from 14 o’clock on May 4th. She and IWANO Makiko (President of Iwano Heizaburo Paper Mill) will appear.
Opening hours are 9:30 a.m. – 5: 00 p.m. The fee is JPY 300 (free of charge for high school students). Closed on Tuesdays. Until May 31st.
(The article was published by Fukui Keizai Shimbun.)
