S U M I – E I S J A P A N E S E A N D M E A N S
‘P A I N T I N G W I T H B L A C K I N K’ …

… and is an art form in the Zen Buddhist tradition, comparable to the martial art of aikido, archery or Nō theatre. Art forms are also movement arts.

S U M I – E I S M O R E T H A N A T E C H N I Q U E :
IT IS A MEDITATIVE PRACTICE.

As an art form embodied in Sumi-e, it represents a holistic practice in which movement sequences, mental attitude and personal development are inextricably linked.
Repetition, silent practice and reduction to the essentials are its central elements. They enable and promote a processual way of painting: fleeting yet precise brushstrokes that are inscribed on the paper as gestures of movement in moments of highest concentration.
In these arts, the focus is not on the result, but on the act itself. Sumi-e is characterised by a concentrated attitude, reduction and the immediate experience of brushwork.

THE COURSE:

GESTURES, BREATHING, GAZE

This course offers an introduction to Zen-ga painting – a Japanese art form in the Zen tradition that originated during the Edo period. Zen-ga is characterised by simplicity, spontaneity and the immediate experience of intuitive brushwork. Particular attention is paid to the interplay of technique and spontaneity, as well as the significance of empty space in the composition.
Participants explore traditional Zen-ga motifs – including flowers, plants, mountains and misty landscapes – while also being given the space to develop these further in free and abstract forms.
Another focus is on the connection between painting and Japanese nature poetry: the exploration of short nature poems, haikus, expands the creative process and stimulates reflection: how can fleeting moments be unfolded in words and images? Short introductions to the philosophical background of the Zen tradition complement the practice.