This form of writing is associated by many with the ancient Chinese and Japanese. We all know that calligraphy involves more than writing, but is an art form in itself. In Japan, it used to be that all children learned the basics of calligraphy, or shodo in the native language. With technology pervading society as fast as it is, however, less and less people are actually learning shodo. Both adults and children seem to have forgotten about this ancient art form.
Recently however, a sprinkling of young artists has been breathing life into this art form. They have in fact extended their stage to the rest of the world. Takeda Soun is well known for his “performance shodo” wherein he creates calligraphy on stage with music on the background. His performances have been well received in many European countries. He is only one among many young Japanese who value this ancient art and wish for it to continue to be known and appreciated the world over.
[tags]Japan, writing. culture, calligraphy, shodo, characters[/tags]