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アンカー 1

PROFILE

taisan tanaka

Taisan

Taisan is a Japanese calligrapher and sumi-e artist known for his powerful performances and contemporary approach to traditional brushwork, Based in New York City.

 

Taisan started his career in 2000 in Tokyo. After many exhibitions in galleries throughout Japan, his unique art became a phenomenon.

In 2011, after the great earthquake and tsunami that devastated the Tohoku region of Japan, the ministry of defense wanted to thank the american military for their help during this crisis. They asked master Taisan to perform a live calligraphy in front of the officals. The word chosen by Taisan was the word "Gratitude".

Then Taisan moved to the city in 2015.

 

He has exhibited globally including solo exhibitions and performances at Frankfurt in Germany, Oviedo in Spain, Stockholm in Sweden and more..

japanese calligrapher

Taisan teaching Japanese calligraphy in U.S.

with curiosity, creativity, and fun.

 

Calligraphy is a part of Japanese culture, but traditional classes often focus on repetition and perfection, causing many to give up before discovering its joy. Taisan Tanaka’s calligraphy class, Show-Do, takes a different path. Built through trial and error, Show-Do keeps only what sparks curiosity—ignoring stroke order, treating characters as pictures, using unexpected tools, making your own paper, and more.

 

By focusing on the fun of writing first, students naturally stay engaged. Originally designed for beginners unfamiliar with calligraphy, Show-Do is now a widely loved and innovative approach, embraced by kindergartens,

art schools, corporate training programs, and museums alike.

taisan tanaka

MAJOR WORKS

April 24, 2025

Sumi-e class at SMBC (Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation) 

Manhattan, New York

April 10, 2025

Sumi-e class at Fordham University 

Manhattan, New York

Apr. 4,5,6, 2025

Calligraphy performance at Awesome con

Washington, DC

Jan. 21, 2025

Display Designer for Shu Uemura's Cosmetics Event

Brooklyn, New York

Oct. 18, 2024

Calligraphy performance at New York Comic Con

Manhattan, New York

Aug. 23,24,25, 2024

Calligraphy performance at AN!ME NYC

Manhattan, New York

Jun. 21, 2024 - Mar. 31, 2025

Taisan's popup store at BBFL

Brooklyn, New York

Apr. 1, 2021 - Mar. 31, 2024
Taisan's popup store at J-collabo
Brooklyn, New York

Jan. 20, 2024

Calligraphy performance at JAANY

Manhattan, New York

Jan. 6 - Feb. 28, 2024

Taisan's solo exhibition at J-collabo

Brooklyn, New York

 

Nov. 17-19, 2023
Calligraphy performance at AN!ME NYC
Manhattan, New York

Oct. 27- Dec. 31, 2023

Taisan's solo exhibition at J-collabo

Brooklyn, New York

Mar. 26, 2023

Taisan's installation at RESOBOX

Manhattan, New York

Nov. 18,19,20, 2022

Calligraphy performance at AN!ME NYC

Manhattan, New York

Oct. 28-31, 2022

Calligraphy performance at Hamburg Messe und Congress

Messeplatz Hamburg, Germany

Jun. 16, 2020

Collaboration with Consulate General of Japan in NewYork

On Website

 

Jan. 20, 2020

Calligraphy performance at Brooklyn Japanese New Year Festival

Brooklyn, New York

 

Oct. 4,5,6, 2019

Calligraphy performance at New York Comic Con

Manhattan, New York

 

Jul. 7, 2019

Calligraphy performance and workshop at The Noguchi Museum

Long Island City, New York

 

Jun. 22, 2019

Calligraphy performance at Punk Island

Randall’s Island, New York

 

Jun. 10, 2019

Calligraphy performance at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation

Manhattan, New York

 

May 22, 2019

Calligraphy performance at Japan Society

Manhattan, New York

 

May 18,19, 2019

Japanese Ink painting (Live painting) at World's Fare in Citi Field

Queens, New York

 

May 4, 2019

Calligraphy performance at Cherry blossom festival

Randall’s Island, New York

 

Apr. 17, 2019

Calligraphy performance at Brooklyn Historical Society

Brooklyn, New York

 

Mar. 24, 2019

Solo exhibition at RESOBOX gallery

Manhattan, New York

 

Jan. 22 - Jun. 27, 2019

Solo exhibition and workshop at The Anna Lamar Switzer Center for Visual Arts at Pensacola State college

Pensacola, Florida

 

Jan. 21, 2019

Calligraphy performance at Brooklyn Japanese New Year Festival

Brooklyn, New York

 

Jan. 13, 2019

Calligraphy performance at Japan Society

Manhattan, New York

田中 太山

和歌山県生まれ、ニューヨーク在住。書と絵の組み合わせを得意とする書画家。

代表作に文字を絵にする「笑文字(えもじ)」や二本の大筆を自在に操り書を揮毫する大作書画パフォーマンスがある。アメリカ、日本、ヨーロッパ、アジアにおいて個展やパフォーマンスを行っている。

Taisan web | Japanese calligrapher, Based in NYC | ニューヨークの書道家

© Taisan Official Web by minahashi 2018

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