Ten Japanese masters are presented at the exhibition in Astana. The authors show their own sense of space and time through the extraordinarily subtle world of Japanese drawing, which unites ancient postulates and a modern outlook. Their works reflect the fragile balance between eternity and the moment, the internal and the external.

"Seven years ago, Norman Tolman visited Kazakhstan for the first time. This is the person whose collection we are exhibiting today. He once worked in the diplomatic service in Japan. He liked the works of Toko Shinoda so much that he became their collector. And then he devoted himself entirely to art, opened a gallery in New York, and then in Tokyo. It is a pity that he could not come to Astana this time. He fell ill, he is already 88 years old," said Zhanna Yensebayeva, director of the HAS SANAT Art Gallery.

Each work at the exhibition immerses the viewer in the charming world of Japan, its philosophy, history and traditions, while always leaving a slight understatement, a haze of mystery. The exhibition shows the versatility of Japanese contemporary art. The exposition presents works made in various techniques of printed graphics, including traditional ukiyo-e, kappazuri, as well as lithographs and mezzotints.

The central figure of the exhibition is the legendary artist Toko Shinoda, who has gained worldwide recognition. Each of her works is a deeply traditional, spiritual phenomenon, in a modern and very expressive abstract graphic embodiment. She combined traditional calligraphy and abstract expressionism in her work, developing a unique unique style.

"Toko Shinoda said that she does not have to explain her works, they are understandable to everyone, because they are written with the heart. There is always a trail of understatement in abstractionism. However, in her works, poetic sketches are made with a red ink pencil. And it used to belong to the emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Sometimes it's a stroke, sometimes smooth lines, which just leave some understatement. Her works are stored in the Metropolitan, in the British Museum, in the National Museum of Tokyo. When I was in Tokyo, I specifically went to the department of modern art to find the works of Toko Shinoda. And I was happy to see them there. These are really high-level artists," Zhanna Yensebayeva noted.

In the works of some artists, traditional content is virtuously clothed in avant-garde forms, and classical techniques are complemented by modern trends, while other artists embody traditional motifs in ancient graphic techniques, carefully preserving the legacy of old masters. These works are united by the laconicism of the image and the restraint of color solutions. Despite this, the works are extremely expressive and capacious in meaning, always with a deep philosophical and cultural basis.

Japanese artist Katsunori Hamanishi attracts the viewer with the novelty of the author's solution in the complex mezzotint technique. Stylistic trends of contemporary Western art and imagery of traditional Eastern art are organically combined in the artist's work.

"His works are elegant, light. Creativity is distinguished by minimalism. At the same time, he pays attention to small details. He has a special feeling for nature. At one time, Rockefeller wrote off many works so that after his death they would be sold at Sotheby's. Norman Tolman sent his employees to see what works were at auction. As it turned out, even Matisse was sold, but the works of Hamanishi and other Japanese artists were left in the Rockefeller collection," said Zhanna Yensebayeva, director of the HAS SANAT Art Gallery.

The works of another Japanese master, Takashi Hiromitsu, are presented in the traditional technique of printed graphics "kappazuri", which is considered forgotten today. The plots are based on Japanese mythology and motifs of famous Kabuki theater works. Takahashi's engravings are Japanese culture, conveyed with love in dynamic compositions, rich colors and eloquent plots.

"The technique of "kappazuri" is very complex. Each color is cut out of paper separately and superimposed on top of each other. These fragments are then fastened together with persimmon juice. At the same time, the viewer gets the impression that it is a single, painted picture. It is difficult to guess that these fragments are cut out separately," said Zhanna Yensebayeva, director of the HAS SANAT Art Gallery.

The exposition also includes works by Wako Shuji, Tamekane Yoshikatsu, Masahiko Tsubota, Kinoshita Taika, Karhu Joel, Akihiro Misaki and Toshihisa Fudezuka. The masters differ in temperament, artistic techniques and approaches to achieving imagery. However, for all authors, the ancient and modern are presented organically and diversely. Japanese graphics captivates the viewer with mysteries and bribes with natural simplicity.