The Avant-Garde of 'Nihonga' 1938-1949

Nihonga, a style of drawing and painting considered unique to Japan, underwent a radical update in the early part of the twentieth century, with work by Ryobun Yamaoka, Takashi Yamazaki and Iri Maruki, amongst others, attempting to impose some of the surrealism and expressionism, at that time engulfing much of the Western art world, onto traditional Japanese aesthetics. Curated by Hidetsugu Yamano, a contemporary of the aforementioned artists, the exhibition has already proven popular in Kyoto, and is due to move on to Hiroshima in early February. A must-see for art lovers across the capital.