There are many Japanese Calligraphy artists who have unique talents both male and female. They all put their full spirit to write each single stroke of word, which they cannot make any correction afterwords.
It is not just a word.
Calligraphers live the moment mindfully to make the best results.
Just like any sports athlete looks so beautiful in some miraculous, memorable moment to achieve a historical record, a calligrapher look so beautiful and the art works becomes masterpieces. Their "words" look like alive. Cutting off the moment...
I highly recommend any international people to try experiencing Japanese calligraphy. So you would know the thrill, difficulty and excitement of not knowing how it will turn out when you face an empty white sheet of paper, with a brush in hand.
When we see artistic calligraphy works, we can feel the energy flows of the artists , how lively, sensitive, subtle, powerful, the words are written. Regardless of the time differences, it is possible to appreciate historical hand-written books, letters, sutras, or personal seals, autographs in the same manner.
(Kanji Artist Souun's logo-designs: from his official website)
In this digital age, we have less and less time and chance nor need to write things by our own hand writings. However, these digital texts do not have power to move people's heart. Any persons' writings appear the same and boring.
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I'd like to introduce 2 calligraphers popular among the Japanese as well as in the world.
SISYU <紫船＞
She is one of the most famous calligrapher and has won many international recognitions, especially in France.
She once was living in Nara before becoming famous in Tokyo.
I really like her strong, sharp touch of writings with super soft, long brush, which must be very difficult to control. She is not just a calligrapher, but an painter, metal artist, as well.
She is visually beautiful, too.
"A Japanese calligraphic artist officially recognized by the Japanese government. Born in Japan, she dedicated herself to creation ever since she started “Sho” (calligraphy) at the age of six. Moved to Tokyo and started her professional career as a calligrapher. Her creations inherit the traditional “Sho” and express the transition from the past to a new age of “Sho” with a new perspective. Using calligraphy, Sisyu has established herself as an artist in Japanese calligraphy and she has expanded this by incorporating them into other art forms such as sculptures, media arts, and paintings."
(Click to see..)
Souun Takeda ＜武田双雲＞
His mother (双葉）is a calligrapher teacher, and his younger brother （双鳳）and sister （双龍）are also calligraphers. All 3 Takeda brothers and sister did not aim to become a calligrapher, but ended up becoming ones as they have seen the potential power of calligraphy to encourage, move, empower, shift people.
Now, he is an author of 40 books.
"Souun is one of the most famous calligraphers (Kanji artist) in Japan. His artwork is highly praised for its innovative, yet traditional way of expressing the beauty of the Japanese language and spirit. Born in 1975, Souun Takeda was first exposed to calligraphy at the age of three by his mother Souyou Takeda, a professional calligrapher in her own right. Soon after, he left NTT , Japan's largest telecom company, to pursue calligraphy full-time and immediately opened his own studio in order to teach calligraphy to students of all ages and levels. He also started an online business, designing nameplates, calling cards and Japanese fans. He also began his calligraphy career, working as a street artist creating calligraphy for passersby, in much the same way musicians perform on the streets and in the subway stations of New York and London. The quality of Souun's work and its power to move people has made him one of the most respected and sought after calligraphers in the world. He has been invited to participate in a variety of projects and engage in a wide range of activities; calligraphy workshops and calligraphy live performances at Fuji Rock Festival, Russia, Switzerland, and Belgium, as well as a two month excursion to Vietnam and Indonesia as a cultural ambassador appointed by the Japanese government. His unique perspective on calligraphy and the world around him can be seen clearly in the solo exhibitions he holds around the world.
click to see the