| Written by Chris Yeager, on 16-07-2008 13:34 |
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In our last article, we covered Jero -- the Pittsburgh native who successfully launched a career as Japan's first African-American enka singer with his first album release last month. While we're on the subject of foreigners excelling at traditional Japanese arts, we thought we'd have a look at some other non-Japanese artists whose national identity has brought them much attention from Japanese and western media. Read on to find out about the first western geisha entertainer and more...
FIONA GRAHAM
a.k.a. Sayuki
Australia | Tokyo
Social anthroplogist
Geisha
www.sayuki.net
"... doing geisha seemed a great idea, as not much has been written on geisha from an insider's point of view."
Social anthropologist and filmmaker Fiona Graham has set out to get an insider's look at the world of geisha and, in doing so, is required to master a range of traditional Japanese arts. Perpetual training includes "basic manners — opening and closing doors, standing, sitting and everything in between," as well as classes in music performance, tea ceremony, and dance.
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DAVID BULL
Britain | Tokyo
Woodblock printmaker
woodblock.com
"I myself have not the slightest interest in 'preserving' any tradition, and to tell the truth, I don't think that traditions should be 'preserved'."
Woodblock printmaker David Bull pursues this traditional art for its intrinsic qualities and couldn't care less about "preserving a tradition." As he states on his website, the art form will persist on its own terms and when it is no longer enjoyed or supported naturally by society (i.e. without government preservation efforts) it should be left to die out as a matter of its natural course.
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THOMAS C. MARSHALL
Ireland | Gunma
Biwa master
youtube.com
"... as soon as I accepted that I'm an Irishman who loves playing Japanese music, I was accepted, whereas before, I didn't know what I was, and I was just trying to be Japanese."
Over the course of his 12 year career, Thomas Charles Marshall, now a full-time lecturer at the University of Creation; Art, Music & Social Work, has had to come to terms with the Japanese reception of a foreign biwa master. At times criticized for his pronunciation of Japanese, he now embraces the foreigner's identity and allows his audiences to accept the performance for what it is.
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CHRISTINE FLINT SATO
England | Ikoma
Sumi-e painter
www.sumiwork.com
"What I was getting at was the sensitivity of sumi, the gradation of the ink, and the different marks and textures you can do. It was a much more subtle world."
Christine Flint Sato is an accomplished sumie-e artist whose abstract style employs new techniques that differ from traditional methods. Her work is met with varied responses in Japan -- as in Marshall's situation, it is is most appreciated when presented as a divergence from the traditional art form.
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ODILE LUNDY
France | Tokyo
Ikebana master
"People appreciate your ikebana whether you are from this country or not."
The traditional art of flower arrangement seems to place less emphasis on the identity of the artist; Odile Lundy has been a successful practictioner of ikebana for over 15 years with no particular commitment to foreign novelty. She has stated that national identity is of no consequence in this field.
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Sources:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20080629x1.html
http://www.sayuki.net
http://www.woodblock.com
http://www.sumiwork.com
Last update: 28-07-2008 08:03
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