MOBILE, AL — September 30, 2026 — Mobile artist Maria Papp is bringing the Gulf Coast arts community to the international stage as one of 21 artists from around the world selected to participate in Art Beyond Boundaries 2026, an international SumiE exhibition originating in Japan.

The exhibition opens today, September 30, at the Federal Senate of Brazil in Brasília, with the presence of Yasushi Noguchi, Ambassador of Japan to Brazil.

Papp has spent more than 40 years studying and practicing SumiE, the traditional Japanese art of ink wash painting. Her journey began in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she developed an early interest in Asian art before eventually making her home in the Mobile area.

In 1975, Papp began studying SumiE with Mobile artist Mary Rodning. She continued her studies through the Shibui Chapter of the SumiE Society of America, participating in workshops with artists from Japan, China, and the United States.

SumiE emphasizes simplicity, balance, movement, and observation. Using ink and carefully controlled brushwork, artists seek to capture the essence of a subject rather than reproduce every detail. For Papp, the practice has become a lifelong connection to art, nature, and cultural exchange.

Throughout her career, Papp has exhibited and received recognition both nationally and internationally. Her work has been connected to exhibitions and collections in Argentina, Hungary, Japan, China, Spain, Taiwan, and the United States. In 2005, she participated in the International Asian Artists of SumiE exhibition, with exhibitions in Japan, Taiwan, and the United States. In 2016, she was invited to serve as a judge for the First International Virtual Chinese Brush Strokes/SumiE Competition hosted by Hmay SumiE in Xuancheng, China.

Papp has also contributed to the cultural relationship between Mobile and Ichihara, Japan. She was a founding member and the first president of the Mobile-Ichihara Sister City group, helping support student exchanges and cultural connections between the two communities.

Her selection for Art Beyond Boundaries 2026 continues a decades-long artistic journey that has connected Mobile to the international SumiE community.

“When you write bamboo, you become bamboo,” Papp says of her artistic philosophy.

For Mobile Arts Council, Papp’s participation in this international exhibition is an opportunity to celebrate the reach of local artists and the ways art can create connections across cultures and borders.

ABOUT THE MOBILE ARTS COUNCIL
Mobile Arts Council is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1955. Their mission is to enrich the quality of life in the Mobile area through increasing accessibility to the arts and promoting a vibrant cultural community. Projects of the Mobile Arts Council focus on serving three components: community, education, and membership. For more info: www.mobilearts.org