Mountain River on the Kiso Road Possibly 1857 - 1858

Curator: My first impression is one of immense tranquility. A hush seems to fall with the snow. Editor: Indeed. We're looking at "Mountain River on the Kiso Road," a woodblock print possibly from 1857-1858, by Utagawa Hiroshige. Part of his *ukiyo-e* series, currently residing here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. And it’s such a stunner, really capturing a landscape muted by snow. What emotions does it stir for you? Curator: A strange yearning, like homesickness for a place I’ve never been. The ink and tempera evoke a particular chill, don't they? The delicacy of the lines hints at the harshness, the unforgiving nature of such beauty. There is something inherently queer about it, as queer suggests an uncanny or ‘off’ quality. Snow is like drag. Editor: I’m so glad you raised the point about its potential 'queerness' in its atmosphere, even its subversion of classical landscape traditions. Hiroshige worked within rigid social structures, yet this piece allows for nuanced interpretations, I find myself reflecting upon the commodification of landscapes and the way colonialism influenced art making. How do these images play a role? Is art supposed to be political? Curator: Is there any art that isn’t, implicitly or explicitly? This makes me think of my childhood home in Maine... Landscapes hold our histories, our memories, our hopes. I always thought a true photograph contained some of that magic, as if there really can be something spiritual trapped inside its frames. Is this the real burden of our post-photographic world? How do you relate? Editor: This image shows its audience ways to relate and belong within the larger-than-human world and natural systems. It challenges our assumptions about traditional landscape representation, doesn't it? Ultimately, viewing "Mountain River on the Kiso Road," there’s an undeniable element of environmental storytelling and cultural critique here. Curator: Yes, critique that flows into memory. So evocative and still. A landscape that almost feels remembered rather than witnessed, a half-remembered dream hanging in the air. Editor: It’s an incredibly subtle artwork with layers of cultural nuance. Definitely deserving of close contemplation and further reflection.