Tag: L.S. Lowry and Japan

Contemporary Japanese artist and L. S. Lowry in Full Bloom by Sawako Utsumi

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Contemporary Japanese artist and L. S. Lowry in Full Bloom by Sawako Utsumi 

The contemporary Japanese artist, Sawako Utsumi, adores a plethora of different art styles fused from her native Japan and a mixture of European artists. This notably applies to the Dutch Masters of the sixteenth and seventeenth century, Impressionism, and L.S. Lowry who hails from Northern England. Therefore, she fuses and creates her art based on different thought patterns.

In her latest art piece, it is the artist L.S. Lowry who springs eternal, once more. Yet, unlike the more dark tones of the original, Utsumi creates a new vibrant approach – while in the background the industrial reminder remains. Hence, the smoke-filled chimney’s can be viewed.

Yet, the immediate impact on the eye is the new vibrant light and children playing in the joy of youth – while knowing that parents and friends are around. In other words, unlike the original that completely focuses on the Northern English industrial landscape, from the houses to the backdrop of the industrial revolution, this area is now radically altered. The upshot is a delightful atmosphere of children playing amid light colored houses.

Of course, the differences of culture, time, adopting new space, a hidden meaning, and a fresh approach hits you immediately. Also, Utsumi is focused on the number 9 that is linked to infinity and the artist does this based on the number of people in her art piece.

Overall, the new art piece fuses delightfully with the original – and, the elegant fresh approach by Utsumi. Hence, the Japanese nuance of joy amid the reality of the industrial landscape is based on the inner-self and not the natural reality of the heavy industry that befell many working-class people. Related to this were long hours, poor pay in this period, children’s health blighted by pollution, and other negativities. Instead, the joy of young children overcomes the grim reality that many faced during these difficult times in poorer areas of Northern England.

By Lee Jay Walker

http://sawakoart.com – Sawako Utsumi personal website

Please email Sawako Utsumi at sawakoart@gmail.com

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/lowry-in-japanese-bloom-sawako-utsumi.html – Lowry in Japanese Bloom

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/sawako-utsumi.html – Sawako Utsumi and where you can buy her art, postcards, bags, and other products. Also, individuals can contact her for individual requests.

 

 

Japanese Artist inspired by L.S. Lowry: Japanese context of Northern England

Posted in Art of England, British culture, Cityscapes, Manchester ArtTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Japanese Artist inspired by L.S. Lowry: Japanese context of Northern England

The contemporary Japanese artist, Sawako Utsumi, is deeply moved by the art of L.S. Lowry (original below). Indeed, several art pieces done by Utsumi relate to playing on certain Japanese themes while focusing on the original. Therefore, in her recent art piece titled “Lowry in Japanese color, space, and time,” a more openly Japanese context is added to a greater degree.

This notably applies to space, time, and clarity that are equally visible within Japanese gardens. Equally, certain areas related to quaint angles of Buddhism in the land of the rising sun relate to the importance of space and time. Hence, Utsumi reawakens a sense of her own cultural identity within the original by Lowry that is set in industrial northern England.

All of a sudden, the industrial landscape turns into a scene that exemplifies a natural flow that isn’t constrained by limited space. In other words, the children playing now seem more liberated and at ease in the new environment that is colorful, clean, and not constrained by railings or negative aspects related to industrial northern England.

Equally, the distant industrial angle and gloomy skyline is now transferred by closeness and a sky that equates to freedom. Of course, each individual will see different things and others will see nothing. Yet, for Utsumi, this matters not one jot, providing one other soul connects to her art in a meaningful way that complements the original – while acknowledging the huge transformation based on art, different cultures, and the intentions of Utsumi.

In another article, I state, “Hence, the contemporary Japanese artist Utsumi is focusing on individuality, new forces based on the color that will soon emerge, and people content in their natural surroundings. This focus works a treat because old northern England now becomes innovative once more. After all, the Industrial Revolution and modernizing forces came from the same rich history of northern England.”

The freedom related to the children playing in the art piece titled “Lowry in Japanese color, space, and time,” suddenly alters the notion of struggle and limited ambitions based on the daily grind of life. Instead, the colors of the houses relate to new freedoms and defeating the limited opportunities that generations of working-class people face in industrial cities all over the world.

Written by Lee Jay Walker

Please email Sawako Utsumi at sawakoart@gmail.com

BELOW IS A NEW BOOK BASED ON THE ART OF SAWAKO UTSUMI

Book Review: Sawako Utsumi and her Kindred Spirit

European and Japanese Art: Buddhism, Christianity, Landscapes, Rinpa, Shintoism, Ukiyo-e, and Dutch Masters

http://www.lulu.com/shop/lee-jay-walker/sawako-utsumi-and-her-kindred-spirit/paperback/product-22830732.html – Please click on to order the book.

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/sawako-utsumi.html – Sawako Utsumi and where you can buy her art, postcards, bags, and other products. Also, individuals can contact her for individual requests.

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/lowry-in-japanese-color-space-and-time-sawako-utsumi.html

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/japanese-whispers-in-respect-of-lowry-sawako-utsumi.html

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/lowry-and-shadow-of-japan-sawako-utsumi.html

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/lowry-in-full-japanese-bloom-sawako-utsumi.html

http://sawakoart.com – Sawako Utsumi personal website

Contemporary Japanese Artist and L.S. Lowry: Distance, Light, and Ideas

Posted in British culture, Cityscapes, English cultureTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Contemporary Japanese Artist and L.S. Lowry: Distance, Light, and Ideas

Sawako Utsumi hails from northern Japan and she is a contemporary Japanese artist, who equally adores art from the distant past. True to the nature of Utsumi, her art focuses on the rich traditions of old Japan, while focusing on a broad spectrum of European artists. However, when it comes to L.S. Lowry (1887-1976), it is apparent that a different light separates her deep admiration of Lowry.

This light not only applies to color, perspectives, breaking down the barriers of the industrial and working-class landscape that inspired Lowry – but also to a spiritual dimension that relates to cultural norms in her native Japan. Hence, in her latest art piece titled “Lowry in full Japanese bloom,” the houses come alive based on new light. Similarly, individuals in the street setting break the initial impressions of the original.

In a sense, it is easy to overstate the negativity of distant industrial northern England. Equally, in the opposite direction, some individuals can focus on nostalgia related to strong communities, the bedrock of the family, the political non-conformist Christian churches demanding rights, a potent trade union movement tackling the economic and political class, and other areas related to this period of British history.

Hence, the contemporary Japanese artist Utsumi is focusing on individuality, new forces based on the color that will soon emerge, and people content in their natural surroundings. This focus works a treat because old northern England now becomes innovative once more. After all, the Industrial Revolution and modernizing forces came from the same rich history of northern England.

In a past article, I state, “The contrast of the originals by Lowry – to the creativity of Utsumi – creates a natural state of mind that highlights the difference in time and perspectives. In the world of Lowry, you had hard working people battling against the reality of industrialization, pollution, and poverty. However, for Utsumi, while acknowledging that poverty still persists in modern Japan and the United Kingdom; the neon lights of Tokyo to the comforting rural areas of the Sendai region provides hope.”

Overall, the new art piece by Utsumi – who is inspired by the rich artistic legacy of Lowry – is inspirational in relation to the visual reality and the deeper meaning behind her art.

Lee Jay Walker

Please email Sawako Utsumi at sawakoart@gmail.com

BELOW IS A NEW BOOK BASED ON THE ART OF SAWAKO UTSUMI

Book Review: Sawako Utsumi and her Kindred Spirit

European and Japanese Art: Buddhism, Christianity, Landscapes, Rinpa, Shintoism, Ukiyo-e, and Dutch Masters

http://www.lulu.com/shop/lee-jay-walker/sawako-utsumi-and-her-kindred-spirit/paperback/product-22830732.html – Please click on to order the book.

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/sawako-utsumi.html – Sawako Utsumi and where you can buy her art, postcards, bags, and other products. Also, individuals can contact her for individual requests.

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/japanese-whispers-in-respect-of-lowry-sawako-utsumi.html

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/lowry-and-shadow-of-japan-sawako-utsumi.html

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/lowry-in-full-japanese-bloom-sawako-utsumi.html

http://sawakoart.com – Sawako Utsumi personal website

Maurice Utrillo in the Heart of Sendai Artist: Yuzo Saeki to Sawako Utsumi

Posted in Cityscapes, French Art, Japanese ArtTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Maurice Utrillo in the Heart of Sendai Artist: Yuzo Saeki to Sawako Utsumi

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The French artist Maurice Utrillo (1883-1955), just like the British artist L.S. Lowry (1887-1976), are two of the most predominant artists to hail from France and the United Kingdom in the twentieth century. Of course, internationally, Utrillo is more famously known but this shouldn’t distract from the individualism of Lowry. Therefore, with the contemporary Japanese artist Sawako Utsumi adoring Lowry and Utrillo, then she often pays homage to the stunning art that they created.

In this article, the focus is on Utrillo and his amazing cityscapes that appeal so much to Utsumi. According to Utsumi “you can feel a hidden soul in what should be the mundane.”

Utsumi is alluding to the countless cityscapes produced by Utrillo because these art pieces are not based on creating a dramatic and false impression. On the contrary, Utrillo focuses on reality and natural settings. Despite this, you can “feel a hidden soul.”

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Indeed, when viewing the art of Yuzo Saeki (1898-1928) you can often feel his pain within the art he produced. This alludes to his serious health issues and the alienation he felt while painting in Paris. After all, not only was Saeki far from the land of the rising sun, but also, equally important, his deteriorating health and cultural alienation weighed heavily on Saeki. This reality created a sense of alienation, fear, despair and other negatives within the magnificent art of Saeki.

However, despite Utrillo also suffering from bouts of ill health throughout his life and alienation when younger, it is hard to see this within his cityscapes. Ironically, the different realities of Saeki and Utrillo appeal greatly to Utsumi. Therefore, this contemporary artist from Sendai focuses on creativity, fusions, passion and aspects of chaos even when not always visibly clear.

I comment in a past article about Utrillo “In his younger days Utrillo had a rebellious spirit in relation to studying and issues related to alcoholism. At the same time, he suffered from mental health issues from an early age. Therefore, by the age of 21 his mother opened his eyes to a much greater extent towards art in order to help Utrillo fight back against mental health issues.”

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Intriguingly, while Utsumi isn’t blighted by either alcoholism or mental health issues that infringed negatively on Utrillo, she did refocus on art during a period of personal hardship. Therefore, for famous artists like Saeki and Utrillo – and for Utsumi – they breathe art from various different perspectives.

Lee Jay Walker

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/sawako-utsumi.html – Sawako Utsumi and where you can buy her art, post cards, bags, and other products. Also, individuals can contact her for individual requests.

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/mirage-of-utrillo-sawako-utsumi.html

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/japanese-eyes-and-utrillo-sawako-utsumi.html

http://sawakoart.com