Japanesque Lab., LTD.
Explore SHO Art
We will talk about the world of "sho," which pursues the art of calligraphy.
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"SHO" is...
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EXPLORE SHO ART
The World of "SHO" Japanese calligraphy
"Sho" or "Shodo" is a writing technique using a brush and ink. It has existed since ancient times in Japan and China, and is a familiar presence in Japan, even as a subject in compulsory education. It is used in everyday life for writing letters and notes, and is also frequently seen as the logo of companies and brands. It is one of the traditional techniques for designing characters. However, the number of people who use it on a daily basis has been decreasing in Japan.
In addition to being taught as a part of general education, "sho" has various applications, including practical use such as writing letters and notes, business and commercial use such as company and brand logos, personal hobbies, performances, and framed interior decorations. Among these, there is a field that seeks the artistic aspect of "sho" and aims to master it as a "do" (the way). In this document, we refer to this field as "artistic sho".
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EXPLORE SHO ART
Traditional Artistic Fields of "SHO"
Artists who create "sho" as "artistic sho" invest many resources in their lives (such as time and assets) into their creative activities and the mental activities and training required for their creation. This situation, where "education, practicality, hobbies, and art coexist in one field," is similar to the structure of "music" and can be easily understood.
In the realm of "sho," it is not well-known, both domestically and internationally, that there is a field dedicated to the pursuit of "artistic sho."
Artist: Keiun Tsujii
Snow is falling thick and thick, quietly.
"しきる降りしきる無心の雪"
H165cm x W121cm
The definition of "artistic sho" is not something that can be clearly defined, and ultimately, the artistic quality of individual works is what matters. However, there are conditions that support this artistic quality, and the following two points can be considered as the main conditions for artists who engage in creating "artistic sho" works:
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Learning from the classic artworks of China or Japan and training in traditional techniques.
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Continuously participating in well-known calligraphy exhibitions in Japan.
作家が学ぶ代表的古典の一つ：牛橛造像記
The moment of creating or practicing a work is an act of extreme focus and immersion, akin to what is known as mindfulness in modern times. It involves preparing the tools, grinding the ink, laying out the paper, taking the brush in hand, and making brushstrokes. This series of actions is similar to activities such as Zen meditation, yoga, and bonsai, where one focuses their mind and faces oneself.
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EXPLORE SHO ART
Elements of “Artistic Sho Works”
Artistic sho works sometimes involve the artist's own words (such as poetry), but they also incorporate the words of past and contemporary poets, philosophers, novelists, and singers. In addition, copying the works of classics (masters of the past) is also recognized as a form of artistic sho. The moment of choosing the words is also part of the creative process.
When reinterpreting the words written by lyricists, novelists, and other writers, artists reconstruct those words with their own interpretations, techniques, and designs to create their unique works. The process of reinterpreting the creations of other artists and past masters through one's own perspectives, techniques, and designs is similar to other artistic fields.
Artist (calligraphy): Keiun Tsujii
Do not regret things about my own life. "我事において後悔をせず"
Quote from "The book of Five Rings" by Musashi Miyamoto, Masterswordsman(16-17c) H41 cm x W70cm
The appeal of artistic sho works lies in their depth and the diversity of elements they comprise. Each individual Japanese character carries its own meaning, and people also associate images (such as brightness, happiness, and good fortune) with each character. The meaning and image of the written words, the beauty of the design used to express them, the techniques employed to convey the expression, and the spirituality and approach involved in creating the work all come together to create a profound and unique piece.
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EXPLORE SHO ART
History and Market of Contemporary Artistic Sho Works
The artistic nature of calligraphy has been discussed in Japan since the Heian period. For example, in the early Heian period, three calligraphers were considered the greatest in the history of Japanese calligraphy: Kukai (774-835), Emperor Saga (786-842), and Tachibana no Hayanari (782-842). After that, it is believed that there were excellent calligraphers among the Fujiwara clan and the Honya family of entertainers, and calligraphy as an art form developed as part of the training of the imperial and aristocratic classes in Japanese history.
A letter written by Kuukai (One of the "Three great calligrapher" in the early Heian period).
As there is a theory that the three calligraphers of the 9th century were the most outstanding calligraphers in history, the field of artistic calligraphy did not flourish thereafter and mainly developed as practical calligraphy. However, in the late 19th to early 20th centuries, a movement emerged among certain calligraphers to "revive the 'artistic' aspect of Japanese calligraphy," giving rise to the history of contemporary artistic calligraphy. Since then, even after the disappearance of the aristocracy and other social classes, calligraphers have inherited the culture and developed it into a modern art form, maturing over 100 years to the present day.
One of the key figures who played a central role in reviving this artistic form of calligraphy in the early 1900s was a calligrapher named Hidai Tenrai. Keiun Tsujii, the father of our company's founder, Tatsuki Tsujii, studied calligraphy under the guidance of the calligrapher Kanshi Kaneko, who himself studied under Hidai Tenrai.
Market of Artistic calligraphy doesn’t exist.
A common value shared by artists who engage in artistic calligraphy is that as artists, they should not pursue commercial success through their works. They value pursuing their own path with a modest lifestyle. As a result, even top artists in Japan find it difficult to make a living solely from their artistic activities. This situation is similar to the field of music, where aspiring musicians study at famous art universities and aim for the top of international competitions.
Due to these factors, the works of artistic calligraphy, which possess high artistic quality, currently have no market or established value, not only internationally but also within Japan. The only way to appreciate these works is to directly connect with the artists or visit a limited number of galleries that handle them. Moreover, the existence of a field dedicated to the pursuit of artistic calligraphy is not widely known in the world of calligraphy itself.
It is our mission to introduce these exceptional artistic calligraphy works to the world.
