Current News :
Georges Rouault & Makoto Fujimura: Soliloquies
November 12 - December 24th
Dillon Gallery 
www.dillongallery.com <http://www.dillongallery.com>

To Download Press Release CLICK HERE

Nihonga: New Traditions
Opening Reception April 16th, 6-8pm
Reiko Bando, Makoto Fujimura, Yozo Ono, Norihiko Saito, Hiroshi Senju, Asami Yoshiga
Dillon Gallery, 555 West 25th St., NY NY 10001, 212.727.8585
Dillongallery.com

Golden Tree: Makoto Fujimura Tokyo Solo Exhibit
Opening Reception, May 13th, 6-8pm
Small works done since 2003, and installation of collaboration with Susie
Ibarra, documented by Plywood Film
Shinseido Gallery (Aoyama, Tokyo) www.shinseido.com

Susie Ibarra, a remarkable percussionist and composer, has invited me to partake in collaboration via live painting and video I produced specifically for her new songs.  It will be at Le Poisson Rouge in Greenwich Village, NYC. 

April 7th (Tuesday) from 7-9pm
Jennifer Choi - solo violin
Susie Ibarra Quartet
Featuring: Jennifer Choi - violin, Kathy Supove - piano, Bridget Kibbey - harp, Susie Ibarra - drumset and percussion

Makoto Fujimura Solo Exhibit, Olana-Psalms of Ascent will open at White Stone Gallery in Philadelphia

April 3- June 21st, 2009
Opening Reception: Friday, April 17, 7-9 pm
I will be exhibiting devotional works never before exhibited, such as the Olana - Matthew Six piece shown above.
Special Offer: I have prepared special, handmade bookmarks to be available as a gift, only to those who purchase Refractions: a journey of art, faith and culture at the gallery!

NEW BOOK
Mako Fujimura's latestbook, Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art and Culture (NavPress, 2009) is now available. Click here for more info.

Makoto Fujimura Charis Exhibit at Dillon Gallery
Charis Exhibit to open at Dillon Gallery
555.W.25th Street, between 10th and 11th Ave.
July 2nd through August 2nd*
Opening from 6-8:30pm
*closed on Mondays

River Grace, a new book by Makoto Fujimura (limited  edition) is ready to be shipped NOW! 

Please go to www.rivergrace.com to purchase your copy.

River Grace is an intimate, autobiographical look at Makoto Fujimura's early years as an  artist in Japan. In a refreshingly transparent account, Mako recalls  discovering Nihonga, the ancient style of painting that would become his  trademark, and being awakened to a longing for "higher transcendence through  the extravagant materials" Nihonga employs. Yet it was not until reluctantly  accompanying his new bride to church that he found the Object and Source of  his longing, and this faith has become the cornerstone of his art, marriage  and, indeed, entire life. 

Makoto's inspiring comments at International Arts Movement's annual conference "Being a Child of the Creative Age" can be seen on the blog site.  PDF file is also available by request .

Makoto's exhibit "Golden Fire" at Sara Tecchia Roma Gallery (529 West 20th, 2nd Floor New York City) successfully ended in January, but the works can be seen by request to the gallery. The next exhibit is scheduled for spring of 2008.

News! See the New York Sun's review from December 7th.

Exhibit features a major new work called "Golden Fire."  Here's an excerpt from the press release...

To make gold rise. This was the challenge that Boston-born painter Makoto Fujimura set before himself. Gold being the most complicated of materials, simultaneously associated with wealth and spirituality, but also with purity, permanence and sovereignty. Its inherent weight lends gravity to Medieval manuscripts, authority to the king’s crown, and lavishness to classic Japanese art. It has always been used in religious art, adding “the weight of divinity.”

With this in mind, Fujimura has used the material as a metaphor for art itself, and allow the gold to become light, to rise to bring hope.

Golden Fire
2006
Gold leaf, ground minerals on Kumohada paper
124 x 89 inches

Makoto was twin billed with Yoko Ono as two artists to represent the theme of Japan and Peace at the City of London Arts Festival this summer (video of the meeting is on his blog site). Makoto was interviewed by BBC for their upcoming "Destination Art: Tokyo" segment.

Makoto Fujimura's Blog Site is now up and running: http://makotofujimura.blogspot.com/

You will find all of past Refractions essays there including the recent, "Operation Homecoming: Epistle of Injury." 

Makoto's "Water Flames and Zero Summer" exhibit at the Katzen Art Center in American University closed on 5/20th.  He desire to thank all the people who came to the opening to "the most exciting museum space I've ever exhibited thus far. It is a fabulous setting flooding with natural light."

http://www.american.edu/cas/katzen/event_description.cfm?event=310

Sold Out: The documentary "Water Processes" capturing Makoto's art-making process in the studio (edition of 50) is sold out.  The video was shown at the Water Flames exhibit and includes a special music by Susie Ibarra. Thank you for your patronage!

"Faithful Art: Makoto Fujimura and the redemption of abstract expressionism" by David Gelernter is out from The Weekly Standard.  Please email us for a copy.

The Splendor of the Medium catalogue, with an essay by philosopher Nicholas P. Wolterstorff and media ecologist, Read Schuchardt is now available for shipment.  Please click here to order a copy.

Read a review of The Splendor of the Medium exhibit at Sugarzine.com  http://www.sugarzine.com/site_11.04/art.html

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Recent Essays by Makoto Fujimura:

Goto http://makotofujimura.blogspot.com/ for all of the Refractions essays.

OP-ED: American Masterpieces-Democracy and the Arts

" As we plead for democratic ideals all over the world, we need to remember that the most convincing proof of the fruit of democracy can be found in our own museums, concert halls, and arts curriculum..."

The Voting Booth Project at Parson's School of Design that Makoto participated has been featured in New York Times, CNN, PBS and other news. 

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Presidential Appointment - Makoto was appointed by The White House to The National Council on the Arts (NEA). Read the press release- [acrobat.pdf] [word.doc].

TriBeCa Temporary - Makoto, with the blessing of his studio mate, Hiroshi Senju, spent the seven months after after the 9/11 attacks running a temporary exhibition space for international artists working near "ground zero". Two yearsafter 9/11's memorium, documentation of the gallery is now online: www.tribecatemporary.com.

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"POST 911 - Fallen Towers and the Art of Tea"- Makoto's essay published in IMAGE Journal's response to the terrorist attacks of 9.11.01. The pre-press version of the text is available at the essays page.

Shalom, the handprinted lithography produced by IMAGE Journal, is now available via Corridor Press. Please direct all purchase inquiries to Tim Sheesley. A portion of the sales will be be donated to support IMAGE journal.