LOVER (1994) Painting by Chiori Ohnaka

CHIORI OHNAKA  Gold Leaf Artist

Chiori Ohnaka was born in Himeji, an ancient castle town in Hyogo. She studied at Tokyo University of the Arts and graduated in 1992. At the University, she was influenced by the Kano school of gold-leaf art, and developed and exhibited her distinctive style of gold-leaf painting during her studies.

“Message of Love and Peace” has been the theme she has pursued consistently throughout her artistic life. Sympathizing with socially vulnerable people such as women and children, her paintings express not only the feelings of sorrow but also the potential empowerment of love. 

Since 2009, she has extended her artwork to overseas. Inspired by tapestries of Gobelins, and artworks of Van Gogh and Klimt, she has embodied love and peace via an uniquely developed modern gold-leaf artwork style at the crossroads of Western and Japanese world.

What messages do want to express with your paintings?

Dilemmas between ideal and reality, questions, sorrows, angers….

As I paint, I am enlightened, and negative feelings such as angers and sorrows are changed into joy and happiness.

For me, painting is like praying.

I used to think that loving someone is the minimum unit of love. But, I have realized that that is not the case. When I do love myself, I can love others. I think that it is important for one to love oneself. Then I realize one has one’s own dilemma and negative attitudes.  One who can learn from one’s own experiences can love others. And love someone and loved by someone.  Then, willingness to take care of others emerges. The chain of love develops courage.

Wars destroy the foundation of human life. Wars are the most critical mistake of human beings. We sincerely hope that we live peacefully regardless of nationalities and religions. We pray for that, don’t we?

We need to be aware of that. We just cannot make this world peace if we destroy the happiness of others.

We shall respect cultures and religions of other countries. Learning histories and understanding others’ backgrounds motivates us to be free from hatred. This very praxis leads us develop the peaceful future.

• Nationality: JAPAN
• Date of birth : 1967
• Artistic domains: Works by professional artists,
• Groups: Professional Artist Contemporary Japanese Artists