Maaya Wakasugi: Stars in the Night Sky
Renowned for transforming traditional Shodō (Japanese calligraphy) into a dynamic form of contemporary art, Maaya Wakasugi is a Japanese calligraphy artist born in 1977 in Okayama, Japan. He began practicing calligraphy at the age of 6 and held his first solo exhibition at 17, developing a distinctive style that merges ancient kanji characters with modern calligraphy techniques, creating expressive works that resonate globally.
His performances and exhibitions have taken him to prestigious institutions worldwide—creating part of the official logo creation for Louvre Museum in Paris, having a live calligraphy performance at MoMA in New York, designing for The Japanese Association’s restaurant “Akane” in Singapore, and more.
Notably, he calligraphed the title for NHK’s historical drama “Onna Jōshu Naotora” and the name of Japan’s new imperial era “Reiwa”, for Yahoo! JAPAN.
Now based in Bordeaux, France, and a member of La Maison des Artistes, Wakasugi continues to expand his artistic horizons. He teaches calligraphy at local schools, including PHILOMATHIQUE and Don Bosco Institute in Gradignan, and is studying painting at the École des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux.
Commemorating Singapore’s 60th anniversary, I.F. Gallery is excited to present Maaya Wakasugi’s solo exhibition, titled “Étoiles dans le ciel nocturne ( Stars in the Night Sky)”.
Taking inspiration from the moon and stars on the national flag, his works were created to express the brilliance and beauty of that night sky, to convey the tranquility and prayers for peace felt in the lights that litter the night sky.
Maaya aims to create works that can be understood beyond the boundaries of race, culture and religion; to have people be able to feel something through the energy of the characters, transcending the language.
We invite the audience to feel the energy in his brushstrokes, and observe the brilliance in his vibrant colours; experience, in this exhibition, a language that is more than a tool of communication— calligraphy that goes beyond the characters.
Renowned for transforming traditional Shodō (Japanese calligraphy) into a dynamic form of contemporary art, Maaya Wakasugi is a Japanese calligraphy artist born in 1977 in Okayama, Japan. He began practicing calligraphy at the age of 6 and held his first solo exhibition at 17, developing a distinctive style that merges ancient kanji characters with modern calligraphy techniques, creating expressive works that resonate globally.
His performances and exhibitions have taken him to prestigious institutions worldwide—creating part of the official logo creation for Louvre Museum in Paris, having a live calligraphy performance at MoMA in New York, designing for The Japanese Association’s restaurant “Akane” in Singapore, and more.
Notably, he calligraphed the title for NHK’s historical drama “Onna Jōshu Naotora” and the name of Japan’s new imperial era “Reiwa”, for Yahoo! JAPAN.
Now based in Bordeaux, France, and a member of La Maison des Artistes, Wakasugi continues to expand his artistic horizons. He teaches calligraphy at local schools, including PHILOMATHIQUE and Don Bosco Institute in Gradignan, and is studying painting at the École des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux.
Commemorating Singapore’s 60th anniversary, I.F. Gallery is excited to present Maaya Wakasugi’s solo exhibition, titled “Étoiles dans le ciel nocturne ( Stars in the Night Sky)”.
Taking inspiration from the moon and stars on the national flag, his works were created to express the brilliance and beauty of that night sky, to convey the tranquility and prayers for peace felt in the lights that litter the night sky.
Maaya aims to create works that can be understood beyond the boundaries of race, culture and religion; to have people be able to feel something through the energy of the characters, transcending the language.
We invite the audience to feel the energy in his brushstrokes, and observe the brilliance in his vibrant colours; experience, in this exhibition, a language that is more than a tool of communication— calligraphy that goes beyond the characters.