Shizuka 1944

Uemura Shoen's 'Shizuka' is a painting with flat colour planes and bold outlines. It feels like a dance between control and intuition. The colours are muted, creating a soft atmosphere. Look at how the squares pattern is almost like a ghost on the white kimono. Uemura's lines remind me of Matisse, but there is something very particular about the quiet stillness she finds in this figure. I keep coming back to the orange of the hakama and the way it holds the composition together. This warmth contrasts with the cool whites and blacks, creating a dynamic tension. It reminds me that the process of painting is about embracing imperfection and celebrating the unexpected. The image seems to linger in a space between worlds.