Contemporary Artist Tomoni Shintaku

BENTO Series

BENTO(A vegetarian sandwich bento)-April 15, 20232023, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Spring Mackerel Rice and Colorful Vegetable Bento)-March 18, 20232023, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Western-style Seafood Boxed Lunch)-February 18, 20232023, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Big chicken drumette stew and multicolored pasta lunch box)-January 22, 20232023, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Balanced Christmas lunch box)-December 24, 20222023, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Extra-Large Rockfish Bento)-November 28, 20222023, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Dutch-style Meatballs & Stamppot Bento)-October 23, 20222023, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Surprise Salmon Bento)-September 22, 20222023, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Vegetable-packed vegetarian bento box)-August 15, 20222022, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Paella lunch with lots of fish and shellfish)-July 10, 20222022, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Seasonal white asparagus tortellini bento)-June 11, 20222022, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Vegan mapo fried rice lunch)-May 17, 20222022, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Spring easter mushroom bento)-April 14, 20222022, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Variety rice ball bento)-March 17, 20222022, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Tomato hamburger bento)-February 7, 20222022, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Dutch-Chinese MIX bento box)-January 24, 20222022, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Tomato pasta box lunch)-December 30, 20212022, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Dutch-style simple sandwich box lunch)-November 23, 20212022, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Balanced lunch box of autumn mackerel and beans with rice)-October 16, 20212022, acrylic on canvas, 12 × 16 inches (30.4 × 40.6 cm)
BENTO(Healthy Sandwich Bento)-August 28, 20182021, acrylic on canvas, 14 × 18 inches (35.5 × 45.5 cm)
BENTO(Japanese and Western Mix Bento)-August 15, 20182021, acrylic on canvas, 14 × 18 inches (35.5 × 45.5 cm)
BENTO(Stamina Bento)-August 4, 20182021, acrylic on canvas, 14 × 18 inches (35.5 × 45.5 cm)

BENTO-May 17, 2018 (Calories 813 kcal, Protein 31.8 g, Total Fat 40 g, Total Carbohydrate 76.6 g, Sodium 3.6 g / Ingredients; Fried rice, Wiener, Boiled egg, Cheese chikuwa, Cucumber, Tomato, Okra, Corn, Mayonnaise, Sesame, Vegetable oil, Soy sauce)2018, acrylic on canvas, 14 × 18 inches (35.5 × 45.5 cm)
BENTO-May 19, 2018 (Calories 631 kcal, Protein 19 g, Total Fat 20 g, Total Carbohydrate 88.6 g, Sodium 9 g / Ingredients; Rice, Eggs, Okra, Bacon, Chikuwa, Soy Sauce, Soup stoc, Mirin-like seasoning, Sugar, Sesame)2018, acrylic on canvas, 14 × 18 inches (35.5 × 45.5 cm)
Private Collection
BENTO-May 18, 2018 (Calories 733 kcal, Protein 20 g, Total Fat 32.8 g, Total Carbohydrate 85.7 g, Sodium 1.8 g / Ingredients; Rice, Wiener, Fried spinach and egg, Fried eggplant and okra, Carrot, Corn, Okra, Konjac, Broccoli, Cheese, Furikake (bonito), Vegetable oil, Soy sauce, Mirin-like seasoning, Sesame)2018, acrylic on canvas, 14 × 18 inches (35.5 × 45.5 cm)
Private Collection
BENTO-May 28, 2018 (Calories 1038 kcal, Protein 44.5 g, Total Fat 48 g, Total Carbohydrate 106.3 g, Sodium 5.8g / Ingredients; Sandwiches (Cheese, Tuna), Boiled eggs, Wiener, Oranges, Cucumbers, Carrots, Raisins, Mini tomatoes, Snap peas, Enoki mushroom, Pak choy, Ham)2018, acrylic on canvas, 14 × 18 inches (35.5 × 45.5 cm)
Private Collection
BENTO-May 26, 2018 (Calories 529 kcal, Protein 10.7 g, Total Fat 17.6 g, Total Carbohydrate 78.6 g, Sodium 2.9g / Ingredients; Japanese mixed rice, Oranges, Wiener, Konjac, Pak choy, Cucumber, Mini tomatoes, Snap peas, Carrots, Mayonnaise, Vegetable oil, Mirin-like seasoning, Soy sauce, Sesame)2018, acrylic on canvas, 14 × 18 inches (35.5 × 45.5 cm)
BENTO-May 27, 2018 (Calories 702 kcal, Protein 31.9 g, Total Fat 25.9 g, Total Carbohydrate 80.9 g, Sodium 10.1g / Ingredients; Rice, Japanese-style rolled omelette, Salted salmon, Eggplant and fried konjac, Pak choy, Mini tomato, Pickled plum, Ham, Cheese, Mayonnaise, Mustard, Vegetable oil, Mirin-like seasoning, Sugar, Soy sauce, Sesame)2018, acrylic on canvas, 14 × 18 inches (35.5 × 45.5 cm)
Private Collection
BENTO-November 25, 2017 (Calories 825 kcal, Protein 40.3 g, Total Fat 32.3 g, Total Carbohydrate 88.1 g, Sodium 6.3g / Ingredients; Rice, braised chicken wing tips, boiled eggs, tomatoes, ham, english cucumber, crab stick, podded pea, pickled plum, baked beans, lettuce, soy sauce, mirin-like seasoning, vegetable oil, black sesame, salt) 2017, acrylic on canvas, 14 × 18 inches (35.5 × 45.5 cm)
Private Collection
BENTO-April 3, 2016 (Calories 746 kcal, Protein 35.3 g, Total Fat 31.3 g, Total Carbohydrate 76.1 g, Sodium 3.2g / Ingredients; Rice (domestic), Japanese-style rolled omelette, green peppers stuffed, salted salmon, chikuwa cucumber, sausage, spinach, parsley, mayonnaise, ketchup, synthetic sake, soy sauce, salt, sugar)2016, acrylic on canvas, 13 × 18 inches (33 × 45 cm)
BENTO-August 14, 2016 (Calories 679 kcal, Protein 26.2 g, Total Fat 28.6 g, Total Carbohydrate 75.3 g, Sodium 3.1g / Ingredients; Rice (domestic), gratin (eggplant, shrimp, tomatoes, cheese), boiled fish paste, cream croquettes, fried eg g, green soybeans, mayonnaise, synthetic sake, granule consomme, salt, sugar)2016, acrylic on canvas, 13 × 18 inches (33 × 45 cm)
BENTO-May 29,2016 (Calories 813 kcal, Protein 28.3 g, Total Fat 28.6 g, Total Carbohydrate 105.3 g, Sodium 5.9g / Ingredients;Brown rice containing rice(domestic), Neapolitan spaghetti, potato salad, scrambled eggs, meat minced, green peppers, boiled fish paste, Pickles, synthetic sake, soy sauce, salt, sugar)2016, acrylic on canvas, 13 × 18 inches (33 × 45 cm)
BENTO-May 29, 2016 (Calories 654 kcal, Protein 18.3 g, Total Fat 36.2 g, Total Carbohydrate 64.1 g, Sodium 3.3g / Ingredients;Bread, potato salad, eggs, tomatoes, konjac jelly, strawberries, lettuce, mayonnaise, mustard, butter, curry powder, salt, sugar)2016, acrylic on canvas, 13 × 18 inches (33 × 45 cm)
Private Collection
BENTO-May 2, 2016 (Calories 681 kcal, Protein 26.3 g, Total Fat 19.8 g, Total Carbohydrate 94.6 g, Sodium 4.2g / Ingredients; Rice domestic), green pepper meat stuffin g, potato croquettes, mackerel Salt-grilled, cheese fish cake, bean sprouts, rice bran pickles (cucumber), seaweed, curry powder, soy sauce, salt, sugar)2016, acrylic on canvas, 13 × 18 inches (33 × 45 cm)
BENTO-May 2, 2016 (Calories 971 kcal, Protein 39 g, Total Fat 38.9 g, Total Carbohydrate 108.3 g, Sodium 5.8g / Ingredients; Rice (domestic), macaroni salad, pork-winding (garlic sprouts, enoki), mackerel Salt-grilled, potato croquette, seaweed, sprinkled (vegetable tanning), soy sauce, salt, sugar)2016, acrylic on canvas, 13 × 18 inches (33 × 45 cm)
BENTO-April 3, 2016 (Calories 750 kcal, Protein 40.8 g, Total Fat 27.5 g, Total Carbohydrate 79.1 g, Sodium 2.7g / Ingredients; Rice (domestic), pork, dumplings, soup Makitamago, salted salmon, spinach, sausage, fish sausage, peeled shrimp, cucumber, corn, sprinkle (bonito), synthetic sake, soy sauce, salt, sugar)2016, acrylic on canvas, 13 × 18 inches (33 × 45 cm)
Private Collection
BENTO-February 8, 2016 (Calories 715 kcal, Protein 25.1 g, Total Fat 31.1 g, Total Carbohydrate 79.8 g, Sodium 2.3g / Ingredients; Rice (domestic), fried eggplant and onions, sausage, eggs baked, boiled mackerel miso, green beans, onions, sprinkle (salmon), white sesame, seaweed, synthetic sake, soy sauce, salt, sugar)2016, acrylic on canvas, 13 × 18 inches (33 × 45 cm)
Private Collection
BENTO-January 19, 2016 (Calories 714 kcal, Protein 24.4 g, Total Fat 33.5 g, Total Carbohydrate 74.2 g, Sodium 0.9g / Ingredients; Rice(domestic), konjac fried boiled, fried eggs, baked salmon, fried cabbage pork, pickled plum, sesame seeds, pepper, synthetic sake, soy sauce, salt, sugar)2016, acrylic on canvas, 13 × 18 inches (33 × 45 cm)
Private Collection

Concept behind the "BENTO" Series

Japan’s traditional bento are a perfected form of food that has gained worldwide popularity in recent years. This is not only because of their visual and formal esthetic elements.
These bento, each a small box into which much food has been ingeniously made to fit, show a very close to the modern ideology of “living with as little as possible”—that is, the minimalist lifestyle.
This series is an attempt to thoroughly investigate the minimalism of bento. The artist cooked, prepared, and then ate bento himself. The illustrations trace and compress the flow of the series of these events. This process goes beyond the simple concept of bento to offer a minimalist way of living.