Current exhibition
Group exhibition of Aukje van Vark, Bev Hardidge, Chris Jensen, Ian George, Ilze Cant, Jan Liesfield, Julie Ricketts, Junko Azukawa, Karen Ridley, Khoi Bui, Lynn Baxter, Lynne McDowell, Mary Newham, Mim Kocher, Pamela Gordon, Phoebe Rose Lines, Ricci McAuliffe, Szara Fox, Savaad Felich, Serafina Munns, Wayne Rankin, Ying Tang.
Yarra Valley Arts has been operating for 31 years — supporting and encouraging artists in our neighbourhood, providing diverse avenues to develop their practice.
While YAVA/YVA serves its local community in this way, that same community knows the transcendent, universal value and qualities of art making. For this exhibition, YAVA member artists were challenged to propose a work that acknowledged the way art operates out of its time and place, beyond the frame of its execution.
So although there are 22 artists showing in this exhibition, there is yet a common ground. The artists all respond to the notion of timelessness and what makes art essential. In turn, the diversity of responses — of mediums and modalities, too — reflects the diversity within the community at large. Each response reminds us that the artist’s interpretation is a reflection of the unique spirit that we all possess.
Spirit of Sumi ink
墨の魂
by
Junko Azukawa
October – November 2022
This is an exhibition of Japanese Sumi ink paintings (Sumi-e) by Junko Azukawa.
Sumi-e is a philosophy, a way of living and an art form of black Sumi ink painting that brought from China around the 8th century and then flowered in Japan. The brush strokes are made on very absorbent paper and don’t permit any retouching or correction. Any hesitation in your brush movement creates a blotch of ink on the paper. The ink mark is a reflection of the moment and your inner self to discover.
Junko Azukawa grew up in Toyama, Japan, and started learning traditional Japanese calligraphy, Shodo at the age of five.
Since becoming a resident of Melbourne in 2005, Junko has taught Shodo and Sumi-e to children and adults at numerous schools and organisations and also exhibited at a number of galleries. One of her artworks “Bamboo grove and the dragonfly” is now in the National Gallery of Victoria’s collection.
Life is full of wisdom and Junko paints works on the subjects of nature and animals such as trees, flowers, birds, fish, the moon, mountains and cats that she deeply connects to with their symbolic meanings to express her voice. Junko shares with the audience her deep appreciation of nature and life through the spirit of Sumi ink.
墨アーティスト東川潤子氏による墨絵の作品の展示です。
墨絵は９－１０世紀に中国で発達し、日本でも多くの人に親しまれてきました。墨絵は墨を使った絵画芸術であるとともに哲学、生き方でもあります。墨は滲みの強い和紙に描かれ、一度紙の上にのるとその墨跡は直すことも消すこともできません。筆の動きに迷いがあればその部分は大きな滲みとなって現れます。墨跡はその瞬間の投影であり、自身の心を映し出すのです。
東川潤子氏は富山県で生まれ５歳のときに書道を習い始めました。２００５年メルボルンに移住してからは数々の場所で大人から子供にまで書道と墨絵を教えてきており、また多くのギャラリーで作品の展示をしてきました。そのうちの一点「Bamboo grove and the dragonfly」は現在ビクトリア国立美術館に収蔵されています。
東川氏は木々や花々、鳥、魚、月、山、猫といった自身と深く繋がった自然物や動物を題材にして、それらが象徴する深い意味や教えを墨で表現しています。彼女の作品に宿った墨の魂を通して、自然への感謝の意をより多くの人と共有したいという思いが込められてます。
Consulate General of Japan
Level 25, 570 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC Australia
Monday - Friday 9am - 12:30pm, 2pm - 4pm
(03) 9679 4510
Past exhibitions (solo*)
Jul - Aug 2022 "Tojiki & Sumi-s" YAVA Gallery & Arts Hub, Healesville, Australia.
May 2022 "The wisdom of animals & nature", Box Hill Community Arts Centre, Box Hill, Australia.*
Mar - May 2022 "Kotodama", Art Gallery 275, Ivanhoe, Australia.
Oct - Nov 2019 "Spring", Heathcote Contemporary Art, Heathcote, Australia.
Oct - Nov 2019 "The instant <<O>> - Mushin", Upstairs 22 Gallery, Castlemaine, Australia.
Mar - May 2018 "in conTEXT", Hatch Contemporary Arts Space, Melbourne.
Nov - Dec 2017 "Creation in Earth and Water", East and West Art, Melbourne.
Oct – Dec 2017 "Works on Paper", Hatch Contemporary Arts Space, Melbourne.
Aug - Sep 2017 Consulate-General of Japan, Melbourne, Australia.
Aug - Sep 2016 "in memory of Hiroshima Peace Day", St Michael’s Gallery, Melbourne.*
Jul 2016 - Feb 2017 "Bamboo", National Gallery of Victoria, Australia.
Jun - Jul 2016 Montsalvat Gallery, Melbourne.
Nov 2015 - Jan 2016 Consulate-General of Japan, Melbourne, Australia.*
Oct 2015 "Sound of Japanese Ink", Eltham Library community Gallery, Australia. *
Apr - May 2015 Asahi presents "Power of Japanese Art", No Vacancy Gallery, Australia.
Aug - Sep 2014 Teppankai Japanese Restaurant, Melbourne, Australia.*
Apr 2014 Box Hill Community Arts Centre, Melbourne, Australia.
Jan 2013 Consulate-General of Japan, Melbourne, Australia.*
Sep 2010 “Notes from the heart”, Kazari Gallery, Melbourne, Australia.*
Oct 2009 "GO FONT YOUR SELF", KIRIN Presents Exhibition, DONT COME, Melbourne, Australia.
Jun 2009 "GO FONT YOUR SELF", KIRIN Presents Exhibition, Peer Gallery, Sydney, Australia.
Jun - Sep 2009 "me and my TOYOTA", Toyota Community Spirit Gallery, Melbourne, Australia.
Jun 2009 Australia on Collins, Melbourne, Australia.
May 2009 Box Hill Community Arts Centre, Melbourne, Australia.
Mar - Apr 2009 Consulate-General of Japan, Melbourne, Australia.*
Feb - Mar 2009 “Women's Salon: Stories of Hope”, Counihan Gallery, Melbourne, Australia.
Feb - Mar 2009 “Linden Postcard Show”, Linden Gallery, Melbourne, Australia.
Dec 2008 - Feb 2009 “Fresh Edges: Timeless Pieces”, Kazari Gallery, Melbourne, Australia.
Nov 2008 Hokuriku Calligraphy Exhibition, Toyama, Japan.
Sep - Oct 2008 Consulate-General of Japan, Melbourne, Australia.
Jul 2008 “Shikai - Fields of Vision”, Fad Gallery, Melbourne, Australia.
Jun - Jul 2008 “Making Marks” exhibition, Kazari Gallery, Melbourne, Australia.
Apr 2008 “Art Melbourne” with Kazari Gallery, Melbourne, Australia.
Dec 2007 Jiyu-Kan Selected Calligraphy Exhibition, Toyama, Japan.
Nov 2007 Hokuriku Calligraphy Exhibition, Toyama, Japan.
May - Jun 2007 Consulate-General of Japan, Melbourne, Australia.*
Nov 2006 Hokuriku Calligraphy Exhibition, Toyama, Japan.
Sep 2006 Australia on Collins, Melbourne, Australia.
Feb 2006 Kokoro Gallery, Melbourne, Australia.*
June 2005 Jiyu-Kan Selected Calligraphy Exhibition, Toyama, Japan.
May 2005 Women’s Japanese Calligraphy Exhibition, Toyama, Japan
Exhibited at National Gallery of Victoria July 2016 - Feb 2017
Exhibited at Eltham Library Community Gallery Oct 2015