静声（しずかなこえ）/ A Quiet Voice

Artist: Tamura Yoshiyasu
Title: 静声（しずかなこえ）/ A Quiet Voice
Medium: Acrylic and gold leaf on canvas
Artwork size: 31 x 55 cm (approx 12.4 x 21.6”)
Price: $8000 AUD (outside of Australia approx. $5440 US)

Artist statement:

I created this work, titled "A Quiet Voice," in response to the exhibition theme, Return to Beauty.

My artistic roots lie in the world of manga; I previously had a serialized work in Monthly Shonen Jump, one of Japan’s most renowned manga magazines. Today, I work as a painter, distilling the storytelling techniques I cultivated in manga into single-canvas works.

Right now, my home in Japan is welcoming spring with cherry blossoms in full bloom. To bring the breath of a northern spring to Australia, where the seasons are reversed, I have depicted cherry blossoms and the Ruribitaki (Red-flanked Bluetail)—a bird said to bring happiness—referencing the Edo period master Sakai Hōitsu.

The female figure is a collage of beauty that transcends time. The form of her traditional hairstyle draws from Suzuki Harunobu of the early Ukiyo-e era, while her lyrical demeanour in the kimono is inspired by the Shōwa era painter Seiichi Hayashi. My intention was to concentrate the Japanese aesthetic, which spans these various eras, into a single image.

Physically, this piece also embodies the concept of "fusion." The radiance of the background is created with Kanazawa gold leaf, a traditional Japanese craft, yet it is applied using rabbit skin glue, a classical Florentine technique. On the canvas, I also combine classical brushwork with modern techniques such as silkscreening and airbrushing.

Eastern and Western materials, past motifs and modern tools—my aim is to harmonize these elements within a single painting. I hope this beauty reaches your hearts not as a loud assertion, but as a "quiet voice" that resonates across time and borders.

We happily offer lay-by on all original artworks and prints, with a 50% deposit. Contact us to set up a lay-by. Please note that the product will not be marked as sold until we have received your payment, and will therefore be available for others to purchase until it has been secured.

Prices are in Australian dollars. Click here for an up-to-date currency conversion.

This artwork can be shipped internationally. Please contact us for a shipping quote.