Hakuin's Zen Paintings: Humorous and Unrestrained

THE DAILY YOMIURI

By Kiyomi Takano

JAPAN--With an intense, wide-eyed gaze, the great Buddhist monk Bodhidharma stares out from a large ink painting to greet visitors at the entrance of an exhibition titled Hakuin: The Hidden Messages of Zen Art. The subject, and the appealingly unrestrained manner of its portrayal, are typical of Zen monk Hakuin Ekaku (1685-1768). The exhibition showcasing more than 100 of Hakuin's works is the first of its kind and is being held at The Bunkamura Museum of Art in Shibuya, Tokyo, until Feb. 24. Hakuin is recognized as the restorer of the Rinzai school of Zen Buddhism. On display are his paintings and calligraphic works, which are occasionally embedded with intricate meanings. [link]

The Bunkamura Museum of Art in Shibuya: "Hakuin: The Hidden Messages of Zen Art" (Ends Feb. 24), Tokyo, Japan, bunkamura.co.jp/museum