This documentary film takes an in-depth look at the life and stylings of Hisashi Tenmyouya, an artist who is the leader in Neo-Traditional Japanese painting styles. His various exhibitions across the country attract people from around the world and all walks of life, and each of his works shows the great skill and detail Tenmyouya puts in his work. You will see the man through the viewpoints of many people, artists and commoners alike, and hear the ideas behind the works from the man himself. A dazzling display of techniques and perseverance exemplifies this man who, although young compared to most in his field, has already made a name for himself in the art world. From his work for FIFA World Cup to his piece created for an exhibition on the Gundam franchise, Tenmyouya's art never wavers from the intricate style that sits in-between the traditional and the non-traditional to create that which is truly neo-traditional.
Overall:
Break stereotypes. Be eccentric. This is the message that the New People Artist Series attempts to show through each film, and that includes this one on the life and works of multi-faceted artist Hisashi Tenmyouya. There is nothing terribly fancy about the production itself, no special tricks or manipulation of different scenes. Ergo, the focus of the film falls heavily on the man himself – who he is, what he does, how he sees himself and his products as well as the concept of "art" in general. To have just Tenmyouya talking would be boring, no matter how terribly fascinating he might be, so the film follows several narrative paths: an ongoing conversation with Tenmyouya; thoughts on his art from many different people in varying backgrounds; following Tenmyouya through different exhibits of his art; watching Tenmyouya as he works on several pieces that vary in technique. It is the combination of these different stories that make this film a truly in-depth look at how Tenmyouya thinks and feels.
The film itself is very informative on the art style that Tenmyouya specializes in, and the occasional art history lessons than ensue manage not to drag down the rest of the production. They are very much in the vein of a starter course on the subject, and with the film as a whole are meant to get viewers interested in the field of Japanese painting, whether Traditional or Neo-Traditional. Tenmyouya's own work is studied not only to show what he has done over the years but how influential his works have become. It is his passion for painting that leads FIFA to hire him as their poster artist, that leads a rural school teacher to turn his entire school into one big art museum, that leads young artists to follow in Tenmyouya's footsteps. As a person he is rather modest and unassuming, jovial during play and dedicated during work, but his work has become larger than himself and has reached more people than he's even met. It is his ukiyo-e paintings seen in popular magazines and his numerous shows in galleries across Japan that inspire readers to pursue more of the fine arts, and one could imagine that that would be enough payment for Tenmyouya – to know how far and wide his works have come. At one point, several people from an American art gallery come to see his work, and the power of his paintings can be clearly seen as crossing cultural borders to invoke the same emotional response of awe and respect from the couple as from the people who live in town.
As a whole, Hisashi Tenmyouya: Samurai Nouveau is both informative and innovative, presenting Tenmyouya as both an artist and a person from all possible view points. You see all the laborious detail-orientated work that goes into his paintings and are able to understand the dedication that is required to become an artist. The film is not too long and does not drag or become boring at any point – the scenes flow very well and create a great mesh of normal scenes and semi-still shots. Even if you are not an art student or looking to broaden your horizons on art history or Hisashi Tenmyouya, this will certainly entertain you as well as give you something to think about. As Tenmyouya continues to test the boundaries between classic and new Japanese painting, his works will continue to inspire further generations of artists to also push the envelope and recreate the concept of art as we know it.
ComicsOnline gives Hisashi Tenmyouya: Samurai Nouveau 5 out of 5 transparent scrolls.
