A Happy Encounter -
Western European Art and Japanese Culture

A New York based Netherlands artist, Maryleen Schiltkamp, recently presented her exhibition "Japonismes". It took place in Manhattan, October 8th through 22nd, at the "Nippon Gallery".

One may ask: "What is 'Japonismes'?" During the late 19th century, French artists created art by using woodblock prints, "Ukiyo-e", by famous Japanese artists such as Hokusai and Hiroshige.

Early in Maryleen's career, she was influenced by the Italian Renaissance in which she learned the techniques of Western classical pictorial art. She was fortunate enough to meet a Japanese who gave her the opportunity to learn more about the East, leading to her "Japonismes".

Maryleen also learned many other aspects of Japanese culture, such as 'Zen' (silent meditation) and 'Shodo' (calligraphy).

Schiltkamp incorporated Japanese techniques and the culture into her Western European styled art. Twenty-three of her paintings were displayed at the exhibition, which included oil on canvas paintings, painted by shading of light (referring to the 17th century western classical pictorial art), scrolls (painted on traditional Kyoto fabrics), and screens, presenting her "Japonismes".

" Western European art and Asian art might require different image forming and technique, but in the sources of art, our universal grounds, we are the same.", commented Schiltkamp.

OCS News
October 24, 2003