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<\/a><\/p>\nA traditional master of Japanese painting, Hiroomi Ito belongs to a small category of Japanese artists who not only produce their own color pigments out of natural dyes, but makes the rice paper – the canvas \u2013 upon which the artwork is painted on.
\nIn his first solo show, The Chrysanthemum and the Sword, Ito asks himself why there is a dichotomy in the Japanese psyche; the refusal to accept ones cultural roots and whether the fusion between the traditional and modern has indeed resulted in a loss of \u201c\u2026.the pride of being Japanese\u201d.
\nThe first impression of Ito\u2019s work is that of classical painting. The artists uses materials and techniques that echoes the style of ancient Japan. However, Ito\u2019s subject matter is in fact a contemporary one; where the artist looks at Japan\u2019s modern society and infrastructure, and how the culture of the family structure \u2013 the backbone of Japanese culture – has steadily disappeared; along with the pride associated to belonging to an old culture.<\/p>\n