The 18th International High School Arts Festival (1)

 The 18th International High School Arts Festival was held in Tokyo, Aug.9. The festival is one of the largest international art exhibitions for high school students. This year, students from Japan and 18 other countries entered 14.936 pieces, including fine art and calligraphy. 500 pieces of work were exhibited at the National Art Center, Roppongi, Tokyo. 
 At the awards ceremony held at The Ritz Carlton, Tokyo, 31 Japanese students received special awards. 
 This year, top Prime Minister Awards went to Motoki Nakamura, a senior at Nara Prefecture's Clark Memorial International High School in the fine arts division, while Kazuha Iwasaki, a senior at Kohnodai High School in Chiba Prefecture, won the calligraphy prize. 
 Nakamura said, "I' really grateful to have received such a distinguished award. I would like to express my appreciation for the people who inspired my creation."
 His work, titled "Space Seed," drew its inspiration from the big-bang theory, the large explosion that gave birth to the universe. 
 Iwasaki said, "It is my great honor to be presented with the Prime Minister Award. I am truly grateful." His work is a copy of a masterpiece titled "Wu Changshuo Calligraphy in the Style of Stone Drums" by Wu Changshuo, an artist prominent in all genres of art during China's Qing Dynasty.

International Foundation for Arts Culture Chairman
Dr.Haruhisa Handa (center), poses with the winners
of the Prime Minister awards
at the 18th International High school Arts Festival in Tokyo on Aug.9.

(source: THE JAPAN TIMES, Aug.18, 2017）