Three of my drawings will be in Zen at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum in Ueno park from August 22-29, 2016.

After the Abstract Narrative group show at the Artcomplex Center of Tokyo, I was contacted by someone who saw my work and wanted to know if I would participate in a large group show at the Met aka Tobikan. To be honest, I was not sure if I wanted to do it. A lot of the super-large group shows in the art museums in Tokyo are…boring. This, however, would give me a chance to make more contacts and possibly learn a bit more about the operations behind-the-scenes at Tobikan. Also, a few of those really large shows are actually good. If not, those shows usually do have a few really good pieces and maybe I could be one of the artists who made some of those pieces. Yes, the ego rules.  I still was not sure though since some of those shows are purely vanity shows but some are also good to forward one’s art career. I decided to ask the Peanut Gallery known as my Facebook friends, and they overwhelmingly said that the positives outweighed the negatives. The deciding factor was that the show starts on my birthday. Fate, right?

I decided on three drawings of different styles. Unlike a solo show, I do not feel the pressure to ensure that the drawings work well together or have the same theme. The room will be filled with art in different colours, sizes, styles, and mediums. I thought it might be best to show a bit of variety.

After I signed up and got more information, I was more than a bit surprised. This show will have textiles, sculpture, ceramics, dolls (?), beads (?), nails (acrylic nails for manicures?), and performances that in the past have included ballet and tai chi (?). It will have everything except maybe the kitchen sink, unless that is included in a sculptural piece. Sponsors include the Korean and German embassies! It sounds like the museum is having a summer festival for my birthday. Why not? Shimonoseki has the Bakan matsuri usually around my birthday and I like to think of it as my personal party put on for me by the beloved citizens of that city, so why not let the people of Tokyo celebrate my big 5-0?

If anybody wants to join us at the Warrior Celt on Monday evening for fish and chips? A pint of ale or Cornish cider? Plans might be subject to change but this is the plan so far…