Detail of '100 Views of Winter'
Text on Winter Fuji
'Winter Fuji' installation in three
parts has many references to the spirit and character of the sacred
volcano Fuji san and the famous painter Katsushika Hokusai. His
'36 Views of Mt. Fuji' was really 46 and he also produced a 100
views of Fuji in black and white drawings.
The '100 views of Winter' are extracted
views made with Fuji dust on wooden boards -- 99 of them are in
forms of Emas and the large one is the actual size of a Tatami
mat. This is one made with clear noodles and is number 100. It
is the actual profile of Fuji as seen from the Shinkansen near
Atami. The stone garden element reflects the importance of Fuji
as in the garden of Daisin-in in Kyoto.
The piece '46 views of Winter,'
are taken from Hokusai's prints. I have extracted the visual part
of Fuji from each print and evolved them on Ema-shaped rice paper
forms. Emas are small wooden boards that Japanese buy at Shines
and Temples to write their good luck and future wishes on for
the coming year. The forms on the floor are 3D versions of Fuji's
summit. Given the dry powdered surface they appear to emerge out
of the clouds and snow. The Emas are mounted on the wall to give
visual reference to the form of Fuji san and painted with Indigo
blue, the common peoples colour.
Ron Rowe ___________________________________________1996
