Cuckoo in storm 1925 - 1936

Editor: Here we have Ohara Koson’s woodblock print, "Cuckoo in Storm," created sometime between 1925 and 1936. The rain gives the scene such a somber, almost lonely mood. What's your take on it? Curator: Oh, I feel that loneliness keenly too! It's fascinating how Koson captures this fleeting moment of wildness – a bird mid-flight against the harsh, unrelenting rain. Notice how the downpour isn't just 'rain'—it's almost a veil, obscuring the landscape. Gives the piece this ephemeral quality, like a memory fading at the edges. Ever felt like that, a bit blurred, a little…drenched? Editor: Absolutely! The blurred effect is also so reminiscent of Impressionism. Curator: Indeed! The artist plays with perspective, doesn't he? Almost flattens the scene, forcing our attention right onto the bird. A question for you, budding art historian – why the focus on a single cuckoo, battling the elements? Editor: Maybe it’s about resilience in the face of adversity? Nature persisting despite the storm? Curator: Perhaps! Or maybe, just maybe, it's about finding beauty, a raw sort of poetry, in the storm itself. Look at the contrast: that vibrant bird against the grey…and then those delicate flowers holding on beneath. What’s the enduring lesson? Editor: I’m taking away that art is as much about feeling as it is about seeing. Thanks for lending me your perspective. Curator: Anytime! It's these whispers between art and the soul, these fleeting moments, that truly count, don’t you think?