An exhibition taking place in Osaka’s Artglorieux Gallery is featuring the works of Tenmyouya Hisashi, a Japanese contemporary artist known for his ‘Neo-Nihonga’ style of painting.

Nihonga (日本画) is a term coined during Japan’s Meiji period (1868-1912) to differentiate Japanese-style paintings from the Western art styles that were emerging in the country at the time. Common characteristics for the paintings were the depiction of animals, women, and scenes from nature, and painting techniques that made use of soft lines and muted colors.

Hisashi’s paintings retain enough characteristics from Nihonga to make his work look familiar to anyone who’s ever seen a traditional Japanese painting, with a few noticeable differences. He doesn’t shy away from portraying modern subjects in his works (like this poster he created for the 2006 FIFA World Cup of two samurais playing soccer), and he also predominantly uses more vibrant colors & cleaner details compared to traditional Nihonga.

You can see a few examples of paintings from the exhibition and more details about the event below.

Neo-Nihonga: Tenmyouya Hisashi Exhibition

• Date: August 11-17, 2021
• Venue: Artglorieux Gallery of Osaka, Daimaru Shinsaibashi Main Building 8F, 1 Chome-7-1 Shinsaibashisuji, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-8501
• Admission: Free
• Gallery website
• Tenmyouya Hisashi’s website