Shodō for Little Tokyo 2024
Shodō for Little Tokyo
小東京の書道
Free shodō calligraphy workshops for Little Tokyo senior residents! Express yourself through the art of traditional Japanese calligraphy with Kuniharu Yoshida. No experience needed, and all materials are provided!
自分の気持ちを書道で自由に表現してみませんか？書家、芳田 訓晴 さんが親切指導いたします。経験不要、講座の材料は全部無料です！
Symbol of Shared Space
Kuniharu Yoshida; Mimi Wada; Shodō for Little Tokyo Class of 2024
This art installation was designed by calligrapher Kuniharu Yoshida and assembled with the assistance of Mimi Wada and Emi Osaki. It is comprised of four-character Japanese idioms that were selected, practiced, and written by students of the Shodō for Little Tokyo Class of 2024. Shodō for Little Tokyo is a free shodō calligraphy program for Little Tokyo senior residents organized by the Sustainable Little Tokyo initiative. For seven months, students of Shodō for Little Tokyo attended weekly classes where they learned and practiced traditional methods and techniques of shodō, or “the way” of artistic Japanese calligraphy. The Byobu folding screen is backed with LED lights which convert the frame into an illuminating piece at night.
When Yoshida was a child, he lived with his grandmother in a wooden house with a large central room that was divided with Byobu screens and sliding doors. He grew up watching the size of the room change to fit different scenarios and learned about sharing space. Byobu screens have a unique quality that enables them to shape a space, one of the reasons they were popular in traditional houses. Although Byobu screens have fascinated people for thousands of years due to their distinct beauty, they are not used as frequently as they once were.
The reverse side of the panel depicts the kanji “迎” meaning “welcome” next to a happy rabbit. Yoshida created the rabbit character, named “Shiawase Usagi,” during the time he lived with his grandmother. He added this element to the piece to transmit the joy and love that define his memories of that time.
This art installation, entitled Symbol of Shared Space, represents the hope for deep relationships between neighborhoods and the people who inhabit them. Please be aware of shared space, whether you are looking at the installation from the front or the back.
共有空間の象徴 2024
芳田訓晴 和田海月 2024年度 小東京書道教室
