Japonism

Japonism? This term first came to my knowledge when I visited the Tampines Regional Library last Sunday. I only know the word "Japan', "Japanese' but 'Japonism'? As I found out from the exhibition, Japonism is not a Japan word but an original French term, which is also used in English, this is a term used to describe the influence of the arts of Japan on Western arts.

See the lovely exhibition panels below? These are the works of a group of secondary students who have learnt Japonism and proudly infuse this into their art masterpieces and creations.

If you have read my posts in 'Japan' tag, you would have read how the Japanese culture and technology has become influential in the asian region as well as the rest of the world. To learn the Japanese arts has also influenced the western arts such that the term "Japonism" is coined is indeed a testament to how influential the Japanese culture can be.

The Japanese are undisputedly one of the most brilliant people around since decades ago, from the time of the Shogun, to Ninjas, to the time they terrorised Asia in World War 2, to their era of inventions. However, the closed door policy that Japan has adopted since today has not helped much to increase its population which is ageing and which is dwindling. Our country, Singapore has indeed taken an opposite tack, to solve our dwindling and ageing population by opening our doors to foreigners who would help our country grow our economic pie and replenish our population. Though foreign talent policy draws both flak and praises among citizens, only time will tell how good this policy will pan out for our nation.

How to draw Japonism? I am not sure? For me I believe if I were to draw, I would draw something Japanese or something western, to draw something of 'Japonism', I would just infuse a "East meets West" influence in my own drawings. See the picture below? It is not my Japonism drawing but that of a student's in the exhibition.