Calligraphy Exhibition – Keisho Nishina

We’re proud to be hosting an weekend exhibition of calligraphy works by the renowned Japanese artist Keisho Nishina. The exhibition will feature about 14 of her works, large and small, which will be for sale.

Friday 9th October – opening night by invitation only
Saturday 10th October – 10-12pm beginners calligraphy workshop (book here), 12-5pm open for public viewing (free entry)
Sunday 11th October – 10-12pm experienced calligraphy masterclass (book here), 12-5pm open for public viewing (free entry)

About Keisho Nishina

Born in Nara, Japan, in 1969, Keisho Nishina is an internationally recognised Japanese calligrapher whose work is deeply influenced by Zen Buddhism and the broader Buddhist understanding of impermanence, emptiness, compassion, and interconnectedness.

Her work explores the meeting point of artistic expression, spirituality and Japanese cultural philosophy. For Nishina, calligraphy is not simply the writing of beautiful characters. It is an act of contemplation – a dialogue between brush, ink, paper, body and breath. Each stroke records an unrepeatable moment, revealing the state of the heart and mind. Over many years, encounters with Buddhist monks, temples, and practitioners in Japan and abroad have profoundly shaped her artistic vision. Rather than illustrating Buddhist teachings, her work seeks to embody them, inviting viewers into moments of stillness, silence, and reflection. Believing that calligraphy is both an artistic discipline and a lifelong spiritual practice, Nishina continues to explore the timeless possibilities of ink and brush as a language capable of expressing what words alone cannot.

She began learning calligraphy at age five, and graduated from Doshisha University with a Master’s degree in Art Education (Calligraphy) from Nara University of Education. She trained under the distinguished Nitten calligrapher Koen Sasaki. She has exhibited at the prestigious Nitten Exhibition and numerous national juried exhibitions, and regularly teaches calligraphy across Japan and internationally throughout Europe, North America, and Asia.

Her work has also attracted attention beyond the art world, including being featured in a BBC radio documentary and a documentary film by a Vienna-based filmmaker, both of which explore the creative process of Japanese calligraphy.