Nature has always been a quintessential theme in Japanese art, from early Haniwa figurines to modern performance and installation art. We have the chance to experience the artists' expression of their view of the beauty of nature in Japan. Of the various mediums used throughout history, it is through the brush that Japanese artists have most often given form to their ideas. This is true not just of professional artists, but even the layman who chose to decorate his crafts with images in the likeness of flora and fauna did so often through brush-based works. Woodblock prints' original printing are done with brush work, as are the decorative elements of pottery beneath unique glazes, as well as classical high-art portraits and landscapes. Although the rate of literacy was low throughout most of Japanese history, artists were typically of the upper class or merchant backgrounds, meaning they were likely literate. As traditional Japanese is written by brush, those who were literate would have had years of experience with brushwork.
The style of brushwork in Japanese art is especially particular. Sometimes artists use the minimal amount of strokes, making strong use of negative space. Other times the brushwork flows in such a manner so as to give the feeling that each stroke never ends. Rarely are strokes used haphazardly, and never are mistakes excused. Even in folk arts, where there is considerably less time and skill-Folk arts were often produced by the peasant class, which, with its low rates of literacy, often had far less experience with brushwork-involved in many pieces, you see the same dedication. Because of the intense adherence to this quest for perfection, which varies from artist to artist, when you you look at a finished piece of artwork, you can feel comfortable in assuming that this is a faithful representation of the artists' vision. As such, each piece of work in this exhibit acts as a window into the mind of the artist, giving us a glimpse of how they saw the world in which they lived.