FLOWER and MAN: Spiritual Dialogue

Opening reception and demonstration:
April 17 (Sat) from 6pm
Open to public:
April 17 and 18 (Sat / Sun) 11am – 6pm, April 19 (Mon) 12 – 6pm
Demonstration hours:
April 17 and 18 (Sat / Sun) both at 4pm
At SUPERFROG Gallery

NEW PEOPLE welcomes Master Nishiura during the second weekend of the Cherry Blossom Festival for a contemporary Ikebana exhibition and performance series. He will demonstrate his traditional Ikebana with a modern concept, a “spiritual dialogue between Man and Flower” during the opening reception, and at 4pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Don’t miss the opportunity to witness the flowers “come to life” as the Master puts together a breathing piece of art.

About Master Kihachiro Nishiura

Kihachiro Nishiura is the descendant of Nishiura Enji, founder of the Nishiura-yaki school of ceramics, which was highly acclaimed both in Japan and abroad in the Meiji (1868-1912) for its outstanding technique and artistry. Steeped in traditional Japanese culture from his early childhood, Kihachiro expresses the world of Japanese culture and arts in his own unique style based upon the ancient philosophy of eki, central to which is the inevitability of change. His “Nishiura Style” exhibitions of incense, floral arrangements, calligraphy, and other art forms have been enthusiastically received in Japan and the United States.

Master Nishiura earned a Master’s Degree in Geophysics from Ohio University, and currently owns Nishiura Ryokusuidô antique dealership in Minami-Aoyama, Tokyo.

Comments of Kihachiro Nishiura on His Art

I believe that life is a journey in which we walk along a dark road in the night. People feel anxiety and loneliness, but they seek one ray of light and walk along searching all the time for enjoyment. That light, in my view, is culture — our collective sense of aesthetics. That is why I feel that cultural exchange is the exchange of light. In other words, culture is away by which one ray of light becomes many times brighter. That is why it has the power to dispel anxiety, beget a sense of security, and lead to peace. I believe that my calligraphy, flower arrangements, and incense each constitute one such ray of light. That ’s why I feel they need no further explanation. When we look at flowers and feel they are beautiful, what reason do we need for that feeling? If contact with my works make the viewer breathe a sigh of relief, then that’s enough for me.