Thirty paintings by students at elementary schools in Taiwan were selected for inclusion in this year’s Leisurely Art Association Exhibition, a long-established international art exhibition in Japan. This is a comprehensive international art exhibition of artworks in the fields of painting, printmaking, and photography. This year’s exhibition, the 44th, was held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum from April 25 to May 2, and it included works created by more than 100 artists from countries including Taiwan, Korea, and Thailand.

Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) the Representative at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan, was invited to visit the exhibition, and on April 26 he was given a personally guided tour by Yoshitake Mamuro (真室佳武), the director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, and Horiki Hiroyuki (堀木泰之), the Chairman of the Leisurely Art Association. 

Representative Frank Hsieh said he was very proud that works by Taiwanese children were selected to be part of the Leisurely Art Association Exhibition, and that this demonstrated the high quality of art education in Taiwan.

The authenticity and vividness of the paintings done by the schoolchildren won favorable comments from the organizers. Hiroi Nogami (野上宏), the curator of the exhibition, pointed out that the daily life of Taiwanese people can be seen reflected in their paintings. Representative Frank Hsieh said that he hopes that the observations the children made through their paintings will serve to enhance bilateral exchanges in the real world.

The Leisurely Art Association Exhibition was organized by Yubikai (悠美會), a Japanese art group which was established in 1952. Its aim is to promote international communication with a focus on the cultivation of young people, and it was the first group in Japan to host a world children’s art exhibition. 

Photo: Representative Frank Hsieh discussing details of one of the paintings done by schoolchildren in Taiwan with Yoshitake Mamuro (真室佳武), the director of the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, and Horiki Hiroyuki (堀木泰之), the Chairman of the Leisurely Art Association.