Material: Japanese paper, gold leaf, ink
Exhibition location: ESPACIO Nagoya Castle Art Collection (11th floor)
Moon of the Heart
Shingetsu (Moon of the Heart) is a Zen expression that likens a clear and untroubled heart to the moon. Like the moon shining in the darkness, this restrained composition—created solely with gold and black—embodies the artist's wish to bring clarity and brightness to the hearts of those who encounter it. The work also incorporates tarashikomi, a painting technique developed by Tawaraya Sōtatsu, which the artist came to master through the restoration of cultural properties. The delicate textures born from the technique's element of chance give the work its quiet depth and subtle beauty.
Hiroto Rakusho
Born in Nishijin, Kyoto, in 1962. A gold leaf artist and traditional craftsman, Rakusho inherited the traditional techniques of gold leaf artistry from his father, a master hikihaku artisan in Nishijin. With a desire to share the beauty of Japanese gold leaf craftsmanship with the world, he has exhibited his works internationally as a distinctive gold leaf artist. He has also participated in the restoration of important cultural properties, including folding screens and sliding door paintings at historic temples and shrines such as Kenninji Temple.
