One of the words most often associated with the art of Kaii Higashiyama is spiritual.
But what exactly does this mean? The exhibition "Kaii Higashiyama: A Retrospective " at the Museum of Modern Art Tokyo (MOMAT) — celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of this great nihonga (Japanese-style painting) artist — is an excellent chance to explore spirituality in an artistic context.
Presenting 154 important works and sketches, the exhibition ranges from early pieces such as the luminous color-on-silk study "Autumn in the Mountainous Country" (1928), through the emergence of his trademark style to later forays into monochrome painting and works from his final decade.