inSIGHT - Michèle DC

YAKISHIME

Yakishime, firing unglazed wares at high temperatures, is said to be one of the most basic means to produce ceramics. The tradition embodied in these primordial wares continues unbroken to this day. This exhibition focuses on Yakishime wares, as part of Japan’s traditional culture, and presents their history from the earliest examples to the present through Yakishime tea vessels, food vessels, and works that are transformations of Yakishime into non-utilitarian objets d’art, aiming to provide an excellent opportunity to communicate this distinctively Japanese sensibility and aesthetic to the people abroad.

BRUSSELS FLOWER CARPET 2018...

Unique event every alternate year Brussels brought Mexico to the centre of Europe with a stunning floral creation!

More than 500,000 begonias, dahlias artistically set were devoted to Guanajuato, a Mexican region with an exceptionally rich culture and flower tradition.

The Flower Carpet is 75 m long by 24 m wide. 1,800 m2 of begonias, dahlias, grass and bark.
More than 100 volunteer gardeners put together this giant floral puzzle in less than eight hours. The day before the opening, the spaces between the floral motifs are filled in using rolls of sod. The flowers are so closely-packed that they can´t be blown away, and indeed they create their own microclimate! If there´s a heat wave, the sod is watered to prevent it from wilting. If the weather is too wet, the grass can grow by 4 to 5 centimetres in 3 days. The flowers remain fresh and preserve their splendour during the four days.

VIEW AT THE TOP ...

The fog has risen from the sea and crowned
The dark, untrodden summits of the coast,
Where roams a voice, in canyons uttermost,
From midnight waters vibrant and profound.
High on each granite altar dies the sound,
Deep as the trampling of an armored host,
Lone as the lamentation of a ghost,
Sad as the diapason of the drowned.

The mountain seems no more a soulless thing,
But rather as a shape of ancient fear,
In darkness and the winds of Chaos born
Amid the lordless heavens’ thundering–
A Presence crouched, enormous and austere,
Before whose feet the mighty waters mourn.

Poem by Georges Sterling.

CAPACIOUS EXHIBITION, BRUSSELS (BE)

Amazing painting exhibition displaying the works of 7 disabled artists from Osaka.
The explosion of colors & exquisite details provide the visitor with a vivid feeling of happiness, joy & positive vibes.

Capacious, the project title, is represented by the symbolic image of a large bag with no compartments.
The idea is to promote the potential of art when experienced without the baggage of conventional trajectories defining contemporary art or limitations of language.
A must see!

BUGAKU Ran-ryu-ou
A beautiful evening at Bozar, Brussels

A Samai dance performed with a Togaku accompaniment which originited in Tang Dynasty China.
The dance was composed to praise the bravery of Gao Changgong, Prince of Lanling, who lived in Northern Qi China around the year 550. It is said that the Prince always wore a ferocious mask to hide his mild and handsome face on the battlefield. Wearing a vermillion-based costume and a golden mask with moving eyes and a dangling chin, the dancer performs with heroic vigor.

YOSHIDA BROTHERS TSUGARU SHAMISEN CONCERT

Dec. 6th, Flagey Concerthall was the place to be!

Born and bred in Noboribetsu, Hokkaido (Japan) the Yoshido brothers held a divine performance yesterday in front of a well versed & enthusiastic public.

The Yoshida brothers picked up the shamisen at the tender age of five, and began studying Tsugaru shamisen under Takashi Sasaki I in 1990. After sweeping prizes at national Tsugaru shamisen conventions, the brothers made their major debut in 1999. The debut album sold over 100,000 copies, which is an extraordinary figure for a traditional folk music release.

They won the "Traditional Japanese Music Album Of The Year" category of the 15th annual Japan Gold Disc Award, as well as the "30th Anniversary Of Normalization Of Japan-China Diplomatic Relations Commemorative Special Prize" of the 17th Annual Japan Gold Disc Award.

Yesterday they granted their audience with 5 sublime compositions amongst which a special one dedicated to the victims of March, 22nd in Brussels.

VERNISSAGE EXPOSITION UKIYO-e

Musées Royaux d'Art & d'Histoire

Une exposition spectaculaire dans le cadre des festivités du 150ème anniversaire des relations entre le Japon et la Belgique, placées sous la protection commune de la Cour de Belgique, de l'Ambassade du Japon en Belgique & sous le parrainage du Baron Patrick Nothomb.

Le terme japonais ukiyo-e, qui signifie littéralement « images du monde flottant », trouve son origine dans le bouddhisme. Le « monde flottant » y fait référence à la vie sur terre, associée à la souffrance et à l’impermanence. Cette connotation négative à l’origine s’estompa avec le temps, et le « monde flottant » devint synonyme de plaisirs et de légèreté.

À partir de la seconde moitié du XVIIIe siècle, des artistes tels que Harunobu, Shunshô, Kiyonaga, Utamaro et Sharaku représentaient sur leurs estampes des courtisanes et des acteurs, stars de la vie nocturne d’Edo (l’actuelle Tokyo). Les artistes les plus connus, Hokusai et Hiroshige, quant à eux, perpétuaient au travers de leurs paysages le Japon traditionnel.

L’estampe de la fin du XIXe siècle témoigne de l’ouverture du Japon vers le monde extérieur et de la modernisation que cela a entraîné pour le pays. D’autres thèmes plus spécifiques seront également présentés dans l’exposition, comme par exemple les luxueuses éditions privées (surimono), les estampes érotiques (shunga), la production raffinée d’Osaka (kamigata-e) ainsi que les nouvelles estampes du début du XXe siècle (shin-hanga).

SAINT-BERNARD LOVE

A Sunday in Paradise ... it was scheduled since a while... it's just become the classical tour when kids are born at Linda & Franky's place to go & make their acquaintance, cuddle them & take care of their first 'official casting' 🙂

I call it my regular 'Saint-Bernard Bath' and just love it... The 2-paws kids do enjoy it as well and I'm always moved by the way they care about the little 4-paws, their instant, genuine love & affection for them. They turn themselves into big brother & big sisters of the little furry babes and prove to be their angel guardians. A delight for the eyes & heart.

NOBORU KATSUMI, Unesco World Heritage Artist of Noh Theater

Japanese Gardens Hasselt (Belgium)

An enthusiast audience was attending a unique performance by Master Noboru Katsumi on Sunday, Oct. 9th in the pavilion of the Japanese Gardens.
Noh theater is known as world's oldest traditional classical Japanese stage arts with a history of over 600 years old. UNESCO has declared this art form as ‘Masterpiece of the Intangible World Heritage’ in 2008. Noh theater is a kind of masked musical play of dance and song that best can be compared to the opera in the West.

OBON MATSURI (お盆)

Obon is an annual Buddhist event for commemorating one's ancestors. It is believed that each year during obon, the ancestors' spirits return to this world in order to visit their relatives.

Traditionally, lanterns are hung in front of houses to guide the ancestors' spirits, obon dances (bon odori) are performed, graves are visited and food offerings are made at house altars and temples.

At the end of Obon, floating lanterns are put into rivers, lakes and seas in order to guide the spirits back into their world. The customs followed vary strongly from region to region.

Obon is observed from the 13th to the 15th day of the 7th month of the year, which is July according to the solar calendar. A wonderful event held at the Japanese Garden in Hasselt, Belgium.

FLOWER CARPET BRUSSELS 2016

This year, Japan and Belgium are celebrating their 150th anniversary of friendly relations, established in 1866 with the Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation. On this special year, Japan has been given the honour to be invited as guest country to the world-famous Flower Carpet in Grand Place.

The 2016 Flower Carpet is showcasing nature in Japanese tradition with its numerous good luck talismans: flowers, birds, the wind and the moon are symbols of the natural beauty (Kacho -fugetsu); Koi (Japanese carps) represent strength and growth; pine trees and bamboos are signs of good omen; and the cherry blossoms, of course.

This ephemeral tapestry was made up of 1,800 m² of begonias.

Grand-Place Brussels

Musées Royaux d'Art & d'Histoire

Atsuko Bersma & students display their latest creations.