Our Thursday series features must-read books from each branch of the art bookshop NADiff. This week's recommendation is "Sumiiro" by Shinoda Toko. NADiff modern, our Shibuya branch (Bunkamura, 2-24-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo), is introducing the book.

■ "Sumiiro" by Shinoda Toko

There's nothing particularly interesting about easy, foolproof methods.

Knowing this may be the secret to living a life without getting bored.

Nature, culture, objects, and people are captured through the refined sensibilities of Shinoda Toko, the 104-year-old artist who established the solitary world of "bokusho" (ink painting) and continues to create at the forefront of her field...

This book is a newly revised and re-edited edition of the classic work that won the Japan Essayist Club Award in 1979, featuring a new preface and frontispieces featuring the author's ink paintings. The brilliance of a fiery flame, the budding greenery, the blue of the deep waters... ink vividly depicts all the colors of this world. Through years of working with ink, he has drifted between the joys and pains of life, and come face to face with himself. In the process, he experiences the joy of encountering a wonder that dwells within him that exceeds his own strength. This fragrant collection of essays is filled with words that reaffirm the preciousness of life. The first Japanese exhibition of Pierre Alechinsky, a leading Belgian painter and friend of Toko Shinoda, is currently being held at Bunkamura The Museum. Alechinsky, who credits Japanese calligraphy with influencing his own work, filmed "Japanese Calligraphy" (1955), a documentary film featuring Toko Shinoda, is also being screened at the exhibition venue. We invite you to experience his works and discover how the world of calligraphy has integrated with his own.
【Book Information】
"Sumiiro"
Author: Shinoda Momoko
Publisher: PHP Institute, Inc.
B6 size, irregular paperback
Published: September 2016
Price: 1,080 yen (tax included)

【Exhibition Information】
"Pierre Alechinsky Exhibition"
Venue: Bunkamura The Museum
Address: 2-24-1 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 1st basement floor
Dates: October 19th - December 8th
Hours: 10:00-19:00 (last entry 18:30), every Friday and Saturday 10:00-21:00 (last entry 20:30)
Admission Fee: 1,400 yen for adults (1,200 yen for groups), 1,000 yen for university and high school students (800 yen for groups), 700 yen for middle and elementary school students (500 yen for groups) *Discounts available for those with a disability certificate. Ask at the counter for details.