Meet the artist: Azumi Uchitani
We have the pleasure to introduce you to Japanese visual artist Azumi Uchitani. Azumi is based in Dublin, but she is internationally renowned having appeared on Dutch television and exhibited her paintings and art in New York City.
We are very lucky to meet her in person this March as she will deliver two fantastic Japanese Calligraphy & Meditation workshops.
Azumi, can you describe your path to becoming an artist?
It was an organic flow to become called an artist. I love creating art since I was a child. I was making Japanese calligraphy as part of spiritual training with my grandfather as a child. Also practising Tea ceremonies was an art of performing and learning Japanese aesthetics in a holistic way. Later in life, in the art classes at school, I learned to create in different mediums and methods and was inspired by European Impressionists. When I came to Europe, I studied the history of European art in my 20s which lead me to re-discover my own roots – Japanese traditional art again. I kept creating art. When I set up the “Japanese Salon -Art & Culture Project” in the Netherlands, I started receiving requests to teach, perform and commission work from both private and corporate clients. One day, I saw an article about me in a Dutch newspaper and they described me as a Japanese Artist! So people started calling me an artist and so did I.
Your artistic style is very distinctive, can you tell us more about it? Where do you find your inspiration?
I get inspired anytime, anywhere when I take a moment to be still and connect to divine energy, in my dream, and I receive a kind of message. Especially when I am immersed in the beauty of nature. But it has been also during a conversation or walking on a street in New York. So I try to keep my senses open to receive inspiration. My art & poem is an expressions of my personal discovery, self-realisation and healing which is also relevant to anyone.
You are both an artist and a very accomplished cultural consultant, how do you manage to balance 2 careers?
I use both aspects of my sides – logical vs creative. In a way, these two aspects of myself can complement each other and I make sure I plan my day and week so that I have time for both.
You will be teaching a Japanese Calligraphy & Meditation workshop soon at the Duncairn. What is special about Japanese calligraphy and why does it link with meditation?
I must say, I love teaching and sharing Japanese calligraphy & meditation and so looking forward. It is about channelling divine energy together in a group. Calligraphy itself is a dance of our body, mind, heart and soul. In this modern tech-advanced world, our attention is often in our heads and hands, tapping the screens all day long. I teach to bring attention, and love to all parts of our body and let our KI (life force energy) flow. It will relax our body, regulate our blood flow better, and most importantly, we will feel peace and joy.
At every session, I have a theme which relates to the seasons and will choose a Japanese symbol/ character, KANJI that matches this theme. As we make this symbol, we tune into the energy of this symbol. No experience in either calligraphy or meditation is needed, anyone can make this symbol together with me by the end of the class.
Many participants experience a positive outcome, although it is not a prime goal of my sessions, they help relieve stress and other issues. For corporate clients, this can be a wonderful team-building exercise. I basically teach all walks of life, all over the world, from the CEO of a listed company to children in the Bronx in NYC. What I bring to this calligraphy workshop is “unity” through calligraphy and experiencing joyful and peaceful energy together. Last summer I was teaching in New York and it was wonderful to see fast pace New Yorkers, slowing down and connecting together to themselves and others. I, myself, find it very peaceful and joyful to give a session and feel always happy after. We share such beautiful energy together.
Very much looking forward to sharing this experience with you all.
You can explore more about Azumi on her website and follow her on Instagram.
