Timothy Betjeman: Meconopsis – and other Flowers

Timothy Betjeman, an Anglo-American artist, and grandson of renowned British poet Sir John Betjeman, embarked on an artistic journey to Japan in 2018, fascinated by its rich cultural heritage. Having studied visual art and philosophy in America and completed a diploma in drawing in London, Betjeman's interest in Japanese art led him to Tokyo University of the Arts on a scholarship.

 

Aware of Japan's renowned history in the creative arts, Betjeman's own practice has been steadily impacted by his exposure to Japanese culture over the last six years. Making a conscious decision to inject new influences into his working practice through his move to Japan, Betjeman has taken elements of Nihonga (a traditional Japanese style of painting using mineral pigments and ink) and Manga (Japanese graphic novels) to create an idiosyncratic style expressing both his Western roots, and Japanese influences.

 

Meconopsis – And Other Flowers focuses on a series of works illustrating the meconopsis flower (belonging to the poppy family, and native to the Himalayas). Through Betjeman’s implementation of Nihonga-style techniques, seamlessly combined with his artistic roots learned in the US and England, his merging of Western and Japanese artistic traditions reaches a true synthesis.