May 28 - This past March I visited the Bungei Shunju Art Gallery in the Ginza to see an exhibition by Yuri Uezu and her uncle, Dr. Kan'ei Uehara. Uezu is a young artist from Okinawa experimenting with a variety of styles. The animals in her large paintings appear to jump off the canvas. By contrast, her parade of tiny dinosaurs in a wide expanse of desert seems more whimsical. She explained that each dinosaur represents one of her classmates. She also depicted herself as a bright yellow creature that seems joyful and optimistic.

Downstairs, Dr. Uehara exhibited his ceramic works. He worked as a doctor for many years in Chiba, but upon his retirement he began full time pursuit of his love for art. Although he uses a western technique to make his ceramic tiles, he also incorporates Okinawan themes such as the various sea creatures found only there.

The amazing thing is that I learned about this exhilarating exhibition right here through my blog. After I posted an item on Okinawa a few months ago, Yuri's American brother-in-law posted a comment on my blog encouraging me to visit the Ginza exhibit.

I am so glad I could learn about these artists through the two-way communication of my blog. I met some remarkable people in the Bungei Shunju Art Gallery who are expressing their feelings though art. While our connection began with a virtual communication over the Internet, it was our personal connection that day in the Ginza that I shall continue to cherish.

If you want to read more about this, take a look at my essay in the June issue of Bungei Shunju magazine. (You can't actually read the Japanese-language essay online, but here is the English version.)

Until next time,

Jim