April Lecture

Japanese Culture, Arts & Literature 

Thursday, April 20 at 7:00 PM

Ms. Izumi will discuss Japan’s historical influence on its unique and complex culture, and explain how to identify its various cultural elements in Japanese gardens, languages, movies, cartoons (anime), graphic novels (manga), food and arts.  She will also discuss the different forms of Japanese craftsmanship and its craftsmen (shokunin).  She will discuss how Japanese culture has maintained its unique allure and how its monochrome aesthetic and tranquility coexist in the complex and overcrowded nature of Japan.

Ms. Izumi is a Japanese native and U.S. resident for 15+ years.  She owns Artezanato Studio, a unique gallery in Naperville, IL featuring traditional and heritage crafts from around the world.  After graduating from Osaka University of Foreign Studies, she went to work in several multi-national corporations as a finance and accounting professional. Motoko left the corporate world in 2013 and opened Artezanato Studio in 2015.  In addition, she assists Kyoto Craftsmen Studio (Kyoto, Japan) by introducing younger generations to craftsmanship in the United States.