Motoaki Higashizono for NIKE ISPA Presented by GR8 Filmed by Koji Ueda

Filmed and Edited by Koji Ueda
Translation: Tomoko Ogawa
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昭憲皇太后御歌
「人はただ　すなほならなむ　呉竹の世にたちこえむ　ふしはなくとも」
東園　基昭（ひがしぞの　もとあき）
Profile:
明治天皇の玄孫に当たる東園基昭は1975年東京生まれ。
東園基昭の祖父 東園基文は、1991年まで宮中の神事をつかさどる掌典長を従事。また、祖母 佐和子は、旧宮家の北白川宮成久王の第二王女で明治天皇の孫にあたる。
1994年学習院高等科卒業（幼稚園から高等科まで在籍）。1999年多摩美術大学　絵画科日本画専攻卒業。2001年同大学大学院美術研究科絵画専攻日本画領域修了。その後、国内外における個展等の発表を多数経て現在に至る。アートフェア東京には2009年より個展参加。
2020年東京大神宮の干支絵馬のデザインを担当。
Biography:
東園基昭は、自然界や現世界に存在している様々なものに、古典の卓越した紋様や美しい日本画材（岩絵具・箔・和紙など）の力を注ぐことによって、今までにない広がりが生まれると考えている。動物や楽器、ファブリック、文字や記号など「今」を感じるもののシルエットを「窓」に見立て、その中に能装束などに見られる紋様を独自の解釈で関連付けた風景が広がる煌びやかな日本画作品を作出している。
幼少期より趣味として観世流シテ方能楽師「橋岡 慈観（はしおか じかん）」の元で能楽を習ってきたことが、彼の作品に多大なる影響をもたらしている。能は室町時代から受け継がれてきた、繊細で深遠な世界を創造するパフォーマンスアートであり、舞台では、日本独特の美意識である「間」というリズム、「陰陽」という想像、四季折々の「彩り」が表現されている。同様に、彼の作品は、古来より日本人が大切にしてきた伝統の美意識を尊重しつつ、「現在」という個性を重ね合わせている。彼は、自然の中に点在する陰陽の美に自分の持っている「間」を重ね合わせたとき、心地よいリズムが生れると考え、現実と非現実のクロスオーバーを形にし、自然と人間の持つシンクロニシティ（意味ある偶然の一致）を求め、これら「出会い」から受ける「吉祥・瑞兆」を表現している。
Motoaki HIGASHIZONO
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Motoaki Higashizono, a great-great grandson of the Emperor Meiji was born in Tokyo on 1975.
Motoaki Higashizono's grandfather, Motofumi Higashizono, until 1991, He was a Grand Master of the Shouten-shoku (the Division of Rituals) is the inner-court organization apart from the Imperial Household Agency as the national government organization. It is responsible for the Ritual Ceremonies of the Imperial Family.
His grandmother, Sawako, was the second princess of Prince Naruhisa Kitashirakawa, The Kyū-Miyake ("former Miyake"), member of the Old Imperial Family, and the granddaughter of Emperor Meiji.
He graduated from Gakushuin Boy's Senior High School in 1994 after attending Gakushuin Kindergarten and the subsequent affiliated schools. He then majored in Japanese painting at the Faculty of Art and Design. Tama Art University, and graduated in 1999. In 2001, he completed the graduate program with a master's degree in Japanese painting at the same university. After completing his education, he has presented his works at solo exhibitions in Japan and overseas. He has participated in Art Fair Tokyo, at which he held a solo exhibition.
Biography:
Motoaki Higashizono believes that by applying the power of classical masterful patterns and beautiful Japanese painting materials (mineral pigments, foils, Japanese paper, etc.) to the variety of things that exist in nature and in the present world, an unprecedented expanse can be created. The silhouettes of animals, musical instruments, fabrics, letters, symbols, and other things that give the impression of "now" are used as "windows" and the patterns found on Noh costumes and other objects are associated with them in his own unique way to create Japanese paintings.
He expresses his unique esthetic value in his works, having enjoyed Noh since his childhood. Noh is a performance art that creates a subtle and profound world, having been continuously passed down since the Muromachi era. In the stage art, vigorous images are exchanged between the performers and the audience. Similarly, Higashizono attracts viewers into his own world of beauty. Artworks by Higashizono respect the traditional sense of beauty that Japanese people have cherished since ancient times, while conveying a contemporary feeling. You will definitely be mesmerized by the exhibits that tell you about what his works are, even if you were not originally a fan.
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