Meta Nihonga(Meta Japanese-style painting)

Meta Nihonga is an art concept formulated in 2023 by Tenmyouya as an antithesis to modern Japanese-style painting.

Traditional Japanese painting used mineral pigments fixed with animal glue, or ink, to paint on materials such as washi paper or silk. On the other hand, Western painting involves using oil paints to create images on canvas. Therefore, I proposed a new artistic concept called "Neo Nihonga." Under this new concept, I disregarded traditional materials and supports, opting instead to use modern acrylic paints on contemporary surfaces such as Sinaboard or illustration boards. That was the decisive difference from traditional Japanese painting and Western painting. Furthermore, it aimed to break down the binary opposition between traditional Japanese painting and Western painting. The attempt to reinterpret Japanese painting within the framework of contemporary art, free from the constraints of traditional techniques and subjects, has now become firmly established within the current of contemporary art.

"Meta" means "beyond" or "transcendent" in English. So this time I'll propse a new concept called "Meta Nihonga." In this new concept, I also incorporate computer graphics and photography into my paintings. Japanese painting has completely freed itself from any complexes towards Western painting. So through this concept, I aim to further evolve Japanese painting.

メタ日本画

メタ日本画(メタにほんが)は、天明屋尚が2023年に考案した美術概念。

旧来の日本画は岩絵具を膠で定着させ、または墨を使用し和紙や絹に描いたものである。一方、西洋画は油絵具によりキャンバスに描いたもの。私が考案した美術の概念「ネオ日本画」は画材や支持体にはこだわらず、現代の絵具であるアクリル絵具を用いて現代のシナベニア板やイラストボードに描いている。そこが旧来の日本画や西洋画との決定的な違いであり、また従来の日本画／西洋画という二項対立を壊すことが狙いであった。現在の視座で見ると、日本画を技法も画題も従来の枠組みに捉われない現代美術の潮流の中で新たに捉え直す試みはもはや一般化し、定着したと考えている。

メタとは「高次の」や「超越した」を意味する言葉。「メタ日本画」は、日本画にさらに写真やCGも取り入れ、西洋画へのコンプレックスから完全に脱却した日本画というジャンルや日本画を取り巻く環境そのものを新たに更新し、進化させ続けるための試みである。