Watanabe Ikumi

I am a Japanese artist inspired by the spiritual traditions of Japan, including Buddhism, Shinto shrines, and ancient performing arts such as Gagaku.

Since my student days, I have been deeply fascinated by Buddhist statues and sacred spaces. During the COVID-19 period, I read about the historical destruction of Buddhist images in Japan, which moved me deeply and even brought me to tears. Since then, I have traveled across Japan to offer prayers at temples and shrines where statues were lost or sacred spaces were separated throughout history.

Through my art, I seek to express gratitude and respect for Japan’s spiritual culture and to reconnect with the invisible spirit that lives within temples, rituals, music, and nature.

My works combine watercolor and ink with expressive calligraphy influenced by Onoresho, a unique Japanese style of calligraphy that values freedom and individuality. Unlike traditional calligraphy bound by strict rules, Onoresho encourages moving the brush freely and expressing one's inner world in a joyful and spontaneous way.

In addition to my artwork, I run an Onoresho calligraphy studio called "Hoshii Mama ni Jibun Zenkai Onoresho Dojo."
The name reflects the idea of expressing one's true self freely and f...

Meiji University, Tokyo
B.A. in Literature

ART SHOPPING PARIS
Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France (2024)

Salon du Puzzle d’Art
Galerie Planète Rouge, Paris, France (2024)

Contours & Strokes: A Dialogue in Art
Gallery 60 NYC, New York, USA (2024)

Mini Art Exhibition Vol.8
Gallery 2511, Tokyo, Japan (2024)

Post Card Collection Exhibition
Gallery be Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan (2024)

MINERVA 2025
International Art Fair, London, UK (2025)

Contemporary Art Exhibition
Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo, Japan (2025)