Japanese artist Takashi Kanazawa paints animals such as tigers, owls, cranes, and dragons set against minimal backdrops which are lit by large waning moons. The scenes are painted on washi paper, a Japanese material produced by hand with local fiber, and are a twist on traditional Japanese painting, or Nihonga. The term was established near the turn of the 19th-century when Western oil painting became popularized in Japan, and refers to the traditional painting materials, techniques, and subjects rooted deeply in Japan’s art history.Kanazawa’s work was recently included in the group exhibition NIHONGA: Contemporary Art of Japan, SEIZAN Gallery‘s inaugural show in their New York City location. The exhibition brought together seven painters who reinterpret traditional Japanese art techniques through a contemporary lens. You can see more of Kanazawa’s painting on SEIZAN Gallery’s website.
