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Kitao
Shigemasa (1739–1820)
Third
Lunar Month, Blossom Viewing at Asuka Hill.
Colour woodblock print.
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Spring
has sprung!
Nothing
heralds the arrival of spring more beautifully than the Cherry
Blossom.
Twisted
branches, quiet and dormant all winter long, burst into life with
swathes of delicate blooms.
For
me the Cherry Blossom is a symbol of optimism and promise. It is a
sight that never fails to lift my spirits.
Nowhere
is the Cherry Blossom more celebrated than in Japan where the
tradition of hanami (flower viewing) is an ancient tradition. Those
who gaze upon the blossoms are reminded that life is beautiful and
fleeting.
The blooms are delightful but delicate, soon to be swept away upon the breeze.
I
wished to capture the ephemeral beauty of the Cherry Blossom.
This
new design is my take on contemporary chinoiserie. Depicted is an
imagined Floating World, an eternal spring.
Perched upon the branches are yellow white eye birds and little butterflies dance away into the sky.
Nothing is so beautiful as spring!
