Drawing with Water Engraving　　　　　　　 Hiroshi Hara

I create drawings on handmade Japanese paper and silk using sumi ink. I try to make the best use of the beauty of the materials in my work. I was born and raised in Kagawa Prefecture, Shikoku, and my current residence and studio are located in the mountains of Kagawa Prefecture, where the climate is mild and beautiful. I sometimes draw inspiration for my work from this environment.

About 10 years ago, I had an opportunity to reevaluate myself and my previous approach to production. I confirmed that I used to seek expression in Western-style oil painting without hesitation, that my identity, which is the basis of my expression, is unmistakably Japanese, and that I am not conscious of rejecting other identities. I believe that contemporary art is an expression that freely explores the possibilities of the world of expression without being bound by a sense of belonging, and that it also respects the value of the human individual.

Since then, my work has shifted to an expression in which various lines are drawn in rhythmical brushstrokes, repeatedly accumulating and diffusing, while at the same time creating gradations with delicate shades of black ink. In viewing paintings, we often try to find some kind of "form" in the painting, but in my work, it is difficult to find a definite form. Through the act of drawing, I try to connect the various phenomena that appear on the screen to the problems of human existence and various things and phenomena.

Artist Name: HARA Hiroshi 　Real name: TANIKAWA Hiroshi

Born in Takamatsu City, 1956. Graduated from Tama Art University, Department of Painting, 1979 Born in Kagawa, Japan in 1956, Hara majored in oil painting at Tama Art University. After experimenting with various materials such as glass and bark, since 2003, he has been using handmade Japanese paper and ink (Suiboku-ga technique) to create minimalistic works on the theme of "phenomenon and action". Currently, he is not concerned with the material of expression in his work. He believes that self-expression is born from an internal necessity and that it is important to compare the self (our culture) with others (other cultures).
He has participated in numerous exhibitions including Art Fair Tokyo (2008-2010), Art HK (Hong Kong, 2010), Art Taipei 2012 (Taipei, 2012), Unbound Perspectives Exhibition (New York, 2012), Kagawa Yamanami Art Festival (Kagawa Prefecture, 2013-2019). He has participated in many exhibitions such as Art Taipei 2012 (Taipei, Taiwan, 2010), Unbound Perspectives Exhibition (New York, 2012), Kagawa Yamanami Art Festival (Kagawa, 2013-2019).

Solo Exhibitions
2024 “Hiroshi Hara Exhibition: With the Kaiganji Temple Barrier Paintings,” Nakatsu Banshoen Marugame Museum, Marugame, Kagawa , 2023 “Hiroshi Hara × Hiroko Tanikawa Exhibition,” Artland Gallery, Marugame, Kagawa, 2022 “Hiroshi Hara 1975–2022,” Art Echo Gallery, Manno, Kagawa
2019 Kamado Hall (Sakaide, Japan), 2016 Art Beatus HK (Hong Kong), 2012, 14-17, 19,21 Artland Gallery (Marugame, Japan), 2007, 08, 10, 15, 18 Gallery Natsuka (Ginza, Kyobashi, Tokyo), 2008 Art Beatus Van ( (Bankvar, Tokyo), 2008 Art Beatus Van (Bankvar, Tokyo)