ASPIRATIONS IN THE ABSTRACT
8 ARTISTS’ VIEWS OF THE FUTURE
STARTING 2012 OFF WITH HOPE AND CONFIDENCE

EIGHT PRINTS OF DISTINCTION FOR DISCRIMINATING COLLECTORS
IN LIMITED EDITIONS OF ONLY 70 COPIES

Japan has been faced with disaster of every sort during 2011 - the overwhelming economic situation - the powerful destructive forces of nature - the failure of political leadership - have all seemed to single out a country that deserves none of it. The fury of nature caused a massive evacuation of foreigners from this welcoming country and, in economic comparison to its large neighbor to the west, Japan felt a bit down at heel. Those of us who are long- term residents have seen the Japanese, as usual, dig in with dignity, hold their heads up high, work hard and never complain. This time again, we have watched the country slowly recover. Those who have offered assistance to the Japanese people have already reaped the benefits of gratitude for their efforts. The encouragement and support for the Japanese from around the world has also been heart warming.

In our effort to help our own artists we have continued to commission and show their work both in Japan and around the world; a major exhibition in Hong Kong garnered sales beyond our expectations. In international art fairs few can compete with the talented Japanese print-makers who so often win the top prizes; their versatility, imagination and accomplishments are unequaled, despite recent competition from artists from more “on-trend” countries.

Based on the high opinion I hold of their work and the great esteem in which I hold the artists themselves, the next stage for my gallery is to show the development of contemporary Japanese art in general, at this point in time and history. In discussions commissioning these works, I have tried to generate the inspiration for the artists to transcribe their feelings in the abstract form for which they are universally renowned. I have undertaken the publication of a portfolio, based on the premise of hope for the future, showcasing the talents and carefully-honed technical prowess of eight artists, in editions limited to only 70 copies, to be sold as a set. Those who acquire one will own a special limited-edition document of Japanese art in 2012, as the Japanese people move forward after one of the worst years in Japan’s recent history.

The artists participating in this portfolio are Hasegawa, Nagai, Tsubota, Imamura, Goto, Nakazawa, Tamekane, and Zhou. Those who decide to purchase a portfolio, sight unseen based on the quality of the artists' work and their recognition of the Tolman Collection's reputation for excellence, will be offered this portfolio at a special price. This offer is available until the end of 2011 only.

Please contact Hilary at tc@tolmantokyo.com for more information about this exclusive portfolio or to order your copy now.

Norman Tolman

Tokyo, November 2011