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Greetings from the founder of Art U My father, Tomizo Kitamura, was a painter who studied under a famous Japanese artist, Sotaro Yasui. He also had a deep knowledge about Zen and when he moved from Tokyo to his hometown in Shiga during the war, he started a regular meeting of local people, which he named "Yu-Shin-Kai", with priests of local Buddhist temples. I still remember the gathering of people each coming with a little plate of food when food was scarce and people were still hungry. I remeber they often talked well into the night. Time passed and few decades later, when I opened a small art gallery in the suburb, the name "Yu-Shin" came to my mind and I deceided to name my gallery "Art Yu(U)". This was the start of my gallery. And for more than 20 years, I have been watching the art world closely, meeting wonderful art works and artists. But still, it seems to me that art has much more possibiliy and infinite power. Time passes and with time art changes too. I will be continually watching the changing art world and I hopo to be able to share the joy of finding exiting and very special art for each of you. Ai Sawai Gallery Information Art U 1F, Kitazawa bldg., 3-2-24, Kitahama, Chuo ward, Osaka city, Osaka, Japan 541-0041 tel. 06-6201-0221 fax. 06-6201-0255 E-mail: art-u@osaka.email.ne.jp Since 1983, Art U has reguraly been holding exhibitons of important artists both Japanese and overseas, introducing high quality works of paintings and prints. We specialize in postwar Japanese art featuring works by Gutai artists, including Kazuo Shiraga, Jiro Yoshihara, Sadamasa Motonaga and Atsuko Tanaka. We participated in art fairs including Art Fair Tokyo. Art U is a member of Gallery Network Assocition-Japan and Japan Association Of Artists Craftsman & Architects. 創立者ごあいさつ 安井曾太郎門下の画家であり禅に造詣の深かった亡父は、東京から疎開した田舎で月一回の「遊心会」を主宰していました。戦後の食料不足の時代、一皿づつの持ち寄りで村のごえんさん(お寺の住職)たちが集って夜を徹して話しこんでいた光景を幼少の事ながらも記憶しています。それから数十年の月日が経ち、図らずもギャラリーらしきものを始めた時、ごく自然に「アート・遊」という名称が浮かびました。そのこころはアート=遊心。 こうしてアートと機縁を結んで20余年。この間心躍るような素晴らしい作家や作品との出会いが多々ありましたが、アートの持つ根源的な可能性には、まだまだ際限がないように思えます。時代は移り、美術を取り巻く環境も日々刻々と変化して行きますが、今後ともアートの果実がもたらす甘美な刺激や発見を皆さまと共に分かち合って行きたいと思います。 アート・遊 代表 澤井あい ■ ギャラリー・インフォメーション
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