The Zen Gardens

From Saturday 23 August to Wednesday 27 August 2008 at the Central Tafe Gallery, Tomomi Inoue will be exhibiting her silkscreen printings and digital printed textiles.

Entry to her exhibition, The Zen Gardens is free, and opening hours are –

23/8, 25/8, 26/8: 10-5
27/8: 10-1
24/8: Closed

Ikebana Semester 2 2008

The Australia-Japan Society of WA runs ikebana (flower arranging) classes in association with the Consulate-General of Japan over two semesters each year. Second semester for 2008 starts Wednesday 30 July and lasts for 15 lessons over 15 weeks, until 5 November. Details below:

Why not learn ikebana?

This is an art that has been practised for centuries and has spread widely across the globe. You too can acquire the skills of ikebana through a series of simple steps in the course of lessons conducted by a qualified Japanese teacher.

Learn how to use flowers and foliage (even fruit and vegetables!) to create wonderful floral sensations for all to enjoy.

There will also be a demonstration class at the Consulate-General on Wednesday 16 July from 10:30am – for details, email info@jpnwa.com

Ikebana Classes Semester 2 2008

Where: Consulate-General of Japan, 21st Floor, Forrest Centre, 221 St Georges Tce
Map: View map
When: Every Wednesday for 15 weeks from 30 July – 5 Nov
Times: Beginners 10:30-12:00; Intermediate/Advanced 12:30-14:00
Cost: $210 – that’s $14 per class, including tuition, flowers, and tools
Transport: 10 min walk from Perth station, or catch the blue CAT and get off at stop 1.
Enquiries: Emmanuel on 9384 8048

Kumamoto Artpolis

From 6-21 June 2008, Central TAFE Art Gallery is hosting an exhibition entitled Kumamoto Artpolis: Architecture through Communication.

What happens when architects are charged with revitalisation of a region through works of architecture embodying entirely new ideas? This exhibition documents the creative development of the built environment of Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, presented in association with the Japan Foundation.

There is a lot of interesting architecture going on throughout Kyushu, as cities like Kumamoto and Fukuoka position themselves as the new hubs of modern Japan. Get down to the TAFE Gallery and check out this free exhibition!

Kumamoto Artpolis

Place: Central TAFE Gallery, 12 Aberdeen St, Perth
Map: View Map
Open: 6 (Fri) – 21 (Sat) June 2008; Mon-Fri 10am-4:45pm; Sat 2pm-4:45pm
Admission: Free
Getting there: The CAT stops just outside the Gallery, or it’s a 5-min walk from Perth Station; turn right at Aberdeen St and it’s just before Beaufort / Barrack St, opposite the main Central TAFE building.
Enquiries: (08) 9427 1318

Pottery Exhibition

The Heritage House Cultural Centre is playing host this month to an amazing exhibition of Japanese kiln pottery. It features styles from all across Japan and creative minds described as ‘leaders of the next generation’ of ceramic artists.

The theme of the exhibition focuses on “vessels,” endeavouring to show how ceramic artists understand the function of vessels, the better to understand the present situation, and the future, of Japanese pottery.

If you have an interest in pottery or Japanese art, you shouldn’t miss the beautiful works on display here. If you don’t, go and check it out anyway, and after seeing some of these you might just get interested.

Japanese Pottery: The rising generation from traditional Japanese kilns

Where: Heritage House Cultural Centre, 111 Mill Point Rd, South Perth
Map: View map
When: 14-27 November 2007
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9-5; Sat-Sun 10-4
Cost: Free
Transport: Route 34 runs from Wellington St Busport to just near the Cultural Centre; check the map from Transperth
Enquiries: heritage@southperth.wa.gov.au or (08) 9474 1870

Japanese Fine Arts Exhibition 2007

This month we’re lucky enough to have four Japanese fine artists and one home-grown convert giving exhibitions and workshops at the Heritage House Cultural Centre just over the river in South Perth. Entitled power of wood and paper: listen to their whispering…, the exhibition will feature the following artists, who will be in house:

Ichikazu Aida: Noh masks (noh-men)

Gyokuyoh Okura: Calligraphy (shodo)

Izumi Kudo: Woodblock prints (hanga)

Tetsu Kato, who learnt under the late Tomiyo Tazawa (whose works will also be on display); and Kathleen George: Japanese paper art (washi chigiri-e)

Workshops are offered on Saturday 23 June in chigiri-e (10:00~11:30) and calligraphy (13:00~14:30) so if you have an interest, take your chance and learn from the best! Participation in the workshops is $25. Although anyone can join in, places are limited, so please reserve a spot on the number below.

General entry is free, so do yourself a favour and check out this stirring exhibition.

Japanese Fine Arts Exhibition 2007

Where: Heritage House Cultural Centre, 111 Mill Point Rd, South Perth
Map: View map
When: 22-30 June 2007 – Workshops are Sat 23 June (see above)
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9-5; Sat-Sun 10-4
Cost: Free; workshops are $25
Transport: Route 34 runs from Wellington St Busport to just near the Cultural Centre; check the map from Transperth
Enquiries: heritage@southperth.wa.gov.au or (08) 9474 1870

3×3 Urban Art Project

Three by Three is a public urban project in the city’s Forrest Place:

The urban art project 3 × 3 was developed to make a positive contribution to the vitality of the area and create a new and surprising environment for visitors to the City. Each artwork will remain in place for three days.

Initiated in 2003, this project continues to provide City visitors with unique experiences. Since then, innovative Western Australian artists have created artworks that seriously tackle the role of the public square as a civic space, whilst others have opted to create works that offer a playful interlude for pedestrians.

The three artists featured are Geoffrey Drake-Brockman (Sat 24 March – Mon 26 March 2007,) Bennett Miller (Tues 27 March – Thurs 29 March 2007) and Bridget Waters (Fri 30 March – Sun 1 April 2007.)

Three by Three

Where: Forrest Place, Perth City
Map: View Map
Date: Sat 24 March – Sun 1 April 2007
Cost: Free
Transport information: Forrest Place is right in the middle of city and easily accessible from Wellington Street and the Perth train station on one side and the Murray Street Mall on the other.
Enquiries: belinda_cobby@cityofperth.wa.gov.au or (08) 9461 3154

Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe

Sculpture by the Sea is on again this year at Cottesloe beach:

Over 50 local, interstate and international artists transform Perth’s most popular beach into a stunning sculpture park overlooking the Indian Ocean. Don’t miss Sculpture Inside upstairs in the Cottesloe Surf Life Saving Club.

Sculpture by the Sea

Where: Cottesloe Beach, Cottesloe
Map: View Map
Date: Thursday 8 – Sunday 18 March
Cost: Free
Transport information: The Sculpture by the Sea website contains detailed transport information on how to get to Cottesloe beach.
Enquiries: info@sculpturebythesea.com or (02) 8399 0233

Torigoe Yui TAFE Exhibition

From today (Monday Feb 19) until March 10 2007, Japanese artist Torigoe Yui is the artist-in-residence at the Central TAFE studios at 149 Beaufort St, Perth (near Aberdeen St). Her exhibition is entitled Dualism and you can see it every day except Sunday, from 12-5pm. If you’re free in the city on Saturday Feb 24, you should hit up the opening party too! It’s 3-5pm and RSVP is on 94271318.

Yui has a website, but make sure you change your encoding to Japanese (shift-JIS) or you’ll just get squares and squiggles. If Japanese is just squares and squiggles to you anyway, click around and see what you find! She has a Japanese blog here too which is easier on the eye.