ハシグチリンタロウ / Lintalow Hashiguchi

WLIGHTE (Calligrapher), born in 1985.
Hashiguchi was captivated with punk rock in his teens and found it his source of expression. While studying calligraphy at university, Hashiguchi was strongly influenced by Japan’s post-war avant-garde art and founded the performance group, mono=strike=coup de’ tat, early in his career.
When taking notes of his daily thoughts, Hashiguchi serendipitously came up with his own original words and phrases. Since then, he continues to face sheets of paper, over two meters in size, to scribble his coined words with vigorous strokes, using a cheap towel instead of a calligraphy brush.
Hashiguchi continues to explore his own approach to calligraphy. In the MELT Lang series, he visualizes fragments of words, and in the Word-Mutant series, he expresses spirits that dwell in words. In the WLIGHTE series, Hashiguchi questions himself about the human act of scribbling as self-expression. With “words” as the core of his exploration, Hashiguchi seeks for connections between letters, sounds, vision, mind and body.

2008
First solo exhibition “Passion never dies” at IAF shop* in Fukuoka
2009
Graduated from University of Teacher Education Fukuoka, specializing in Japanese Calligraphy, Training Program for Secondary School Teachers, Faculty of Education
2010
Exhibition with Kuniyoshi Ixima (art collective: Nangar land) “That’s the end.” at Fukuoka-Tenjin Parkside Gallery in Fukuoka
2013
“Record—after that” at Fukuoka Prefectural Museum of Art
2015
Selected for the 7th Tensakukai Exhibition (“Liberation of Calligraphy” dedicated to Yuichi Inoue) at Mitaka City Arts Center in Tokyo
2016
“Calligraffiti Asia in Japan” at THE blank GALLERY in Tokyo
2017
“Calligraphy for the Future” at ITOCHU AOYAMA ART SQUARE in Tokyo
“Calligraffiti Asia Vol.2 The Juxtaposition” linked exhibition in 3 Asian cities
Selected for the 8th Tensakukai Exhibition (“Liberation of Calligraphy” dedicated to Yuichi Inoue) at Mitaka City Arts Center in Tokyo
Book “Future Calligraphy” edited by Hisashi Yamamoto, produced by Tatsumi Sato, published by YKG Publishing
2018
Selected for “ART SHODO TOKYO SPRING 2018” at Mitaka City Arts Center in Tokyo
Selected for “ART SHODO TOKYO AUTUMN 2018” at Mitaka City Arts Center in Tokyo
solo exhibition“POORMEN SWIMMIN ANYWHERE,MEI SOUND SYSTEM PLAY ROARING”＠IAF SHOP*
2019
“Contemporary Calligraphy ART SHODO Traces of Three Artists” at Gallery NAO MASAKI, in Nagoya, Aichi
Exhibited his work at Art Fair Tokyo 2019
Won the grand prize at LUMINE meets ART AWARD 2018-2019
“ALIVE” Lintalow Hashiguchi & Sadaharu Horio at Gallery NAO MASAKI, in Nagoya, Aichi

POORMEN are about to WLIGHTE.
With a single pencil, on a single sheet of paper,
Once I VOICE my thoughts,
What shows up all at once?
That’s a MUTANT WORD.
A stray animal never knows manmade limits and separations.
I sometimes nearly fall into those traps.
However, I know, even with a single pencil,
I can write to overcome reality.
Writing is light.
Art must shine for the have-nots.