Margot Tohkou (東虹) Olejniczak
Margot Tohkou (東虹) Olejniczak is a Swiss-Polish artist, educator and curator specialising in Japanese ink painting.
For more than 25 years, Japan has been an essential part of her artistic and professional life. Since 2000, she has travelled regularly to Japan to study traditional sumi-e painting, deepen her understanding of Japanese aesthetics and experience the culture in which this art developed.
Since 2012, she has continued her training in the atelier of renowned Japanese master Tohun Kobayashi, who bestowed upon her the artistic name Tohkou 東虹 – “Eastern Rainbow.” In 2014, she received the official Instructor Diploma from The Sumie Japan Association.
Teaching lies at the heart of her work. Through Atelier Margot – International School of Japanese Painting, she leads courses, workshops and seminars across Europe, including at prestigious cultural and educational institutions. Drawing on extensive pedagogical experience, she introduces students not only to the techniques of Japanese ink painting, but also to the observation of nature, sensitivity and the philosophy of Japanese aesthetics – with its appreciation of simplicity, imperfection, transience and the beauty of the fleeting moment.
In 2025, Margot Tohkou Olejniczak received an Honorary Award from the jury of the International Exhibition Art Beyond Boundaries in Tokyo and the International Association of Sumi-e Japan, in recognition of her many years of educational work dedicated to promoting and preserving the art and culture of sumi-e – Japanese ink painting.
Margot Tohkou Olejniczak’s artistic practice is deeply rooted in traditional techniques passed directly from master to student over generations, while exploring how this heritage can remain alive and meaningful in contemporary art. Her paintings are regularly exhibited in Europe, the United States and Japan and have received several distinctions in Japan, including a Special Award from the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
More than two decades of studying, travelling and working in Japan have given Margot a close connection with the country, its artistic traditions and the people who preserve them. Over the years, she has developed personal relationships with artists, masters and craftspeople, allowing her to offer a deeper insight into aspects of Japanese culture that often remain beyond the reach of the ordinary visitor.
