We're delighted to share that OmVed Gardens 2024 artist in residency Vivienne Schadinsky has won an award for her Japanese style ink paintings of Soy Beans and Adzuki beans presented to the 23rd International Sumi-e Association Exhibition, which was on view at The National Art Centre in Tokyo from June 14 to June 26, 2024.
The distinction was awarded by Katori Kinsui, President of the International Sumi-e Association "in recognition of past achievements and to inspire continued excellence and expectations for the future".
Sumi-e is the Japanese word for black ink painting, and it designates an art form in which subjects are painted with black ink in all possible gradations ranging from pure black to the lightest shades achievable by dissolving ink in water. However, this does not mean that everything painted in this way deserves to be called sumi-e. Real sumi-e must correspond to typical features, such as simplicity and spontaneity that directly strike the viewers’ sensibility. Sumi-e captures the timeless beauty and complexity of the natural world in a few brushstrokes.
This way of painting was introduced into Japan by Chinese Zen monks and it then became rapidly successful because in this painting-method, as in Zen practice, reality is expressed by reducing it to its pure, bare form. Its emphasis is placed on the beauty of each individual stroke of the brush.
The International Sumi-e Association is aimed at the study, preservation and promotion of this classic art of ink painting. Their goal is to disseminate Sumi-e not only in Japan but also in foreign countries and promote international cultural exchange through Sumi-e.
Vivienne Schadinsky is an artist conducting research projects that explore vulnerable natural ecosystems, including plants, food crops, air quality, water systems and soil health. Her artistic approach aims to take the viewers on a journey to be more aware of their surroundings and thought processes.
During her residency at OmVed Gardens, Vivienne has been researching the potential of beans and legumes as a climate resilient food and is closely observing and documenting the cycle of growth of three varieties grown at OmVed. Her research will culminate in an exhibition including sumi-e ink paintings , sculptures, photography, video and sound works.