“Calligraphy is often said to be the art of contrast between black and white. (…) It is built upon the disparity between white paper and black ink, as well as the stark differences in the thickness of brush strokes. However, this was not what I aspired to. I wanted to create a form of calligraphy that captures the steady pulse of everyday life. To that end, I went from using white paper to toned paper and from using jet black ink to not-so-black ink.” (Autobiographical Record)

For some time in his career, Ishikawa Kyuyoh predominantly used grayish papers. Bi to kensō no shien (elimination of beauty and sound) is an early example from that period. Over a background prepared with diluted gray ink, he writes his characters, clustered toward the lower margin, as if creeping along the bottom of the image. The meaning of the words, as indicated in the previous quote, suggests a state where superficial sentimentality has vanished, leaving only substance quietly behind. It is an early representative work that was also included in Ishikawa’s first anthology, Hyōen (frozen fire).

Ishikawa Kyuyoh (calligrapher; b.1945)

Born in Fukui Prefecture, Japan in 1945. Graduated from the Faculty of Law at Kyoto University. After serving as a professor at Kyoto Seika University and the director of the Institute for Writing and Civilizations, he is now an emeritus professor at the same university. Ishikawa has elucidated the concept that “calligraphy is the art of hisshoku (taction),” and interprets the structure and history of calligraphy. As a critic, he is also active in discussions on the Japanese language and culture, which have had a significant impact across various fields. In both his artistic creations and written works, Ishikawa continues to produce cutting-edge expressions and insights. His body of work includes over 2,000 calligraphic pieces and more than 100 published books.