SCHUBERTIAD-E Folding Screen _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Painting

Why folding screens? How can I contribute something new to this art form which has remained relatively unchanged for over 500 years? First of all, my art breaks with the stereotype of merely decorative folding screens. Yet it is of utmost importance to manage the balancing act of honoring the tradition of screen painting while at the same time incorporating things that have influenced me in my own life into my art: folding screens should be perceived as contemporary art, not relics. There is something very sensual about folding screens. Soon after falling in love with them, in 2020 I realized, painting them is what I was born to do, even though I already had a successful career as a composer and conductor. I am unique in this genre – not because I am not Japanese – but because I both paint the paintings and construct the frames; these functions are usually fulfilled by several people. Each screen is the result of hundreds of hours of work. Using only hand tools and traditional joinery methods, I construct the lightweight wood lattice frames for every screen myself. Each step – from selecting the wood to attaching the paper hinges – demands precision and thorough understanding of the materials, so that future generations will be able to equally admire each screen. In making my works available only via Saatchi art, I wish to reach collectors on the entire globe. Thank you for taking time to view my work.