Heg met herfstbloemen 1903

Editor: This is "Heg met herfstbloemen," or "Fence with Autumn Flowers," an etching by Kamisaka Sekka from 1903, currently housed in the Rijksmuseum. It has a melancholy mood, like looking back at something that is being reconstructed, yet partially undone. How do you interpret this work, with all those apparent layers of history? Curator: Well, what strikes me is the simultaneous portrayal of decay and construction, of the old giving way to the new. Consider the historical context of 1903, and how this intersects with Sekka's own cultural identity as a Japanese artist engaging with Western printmaking techniques. Does this work comment on the tension between tradition and modernization prevalent at the time? Is it a lament for the past, or an acceptance of change? Editor: I see what you mean. It's not just about the building itself but what it represents culturally and the act of rebuilding it in this era of huge social change and transformation. What about the women in the piece; do you see this within that context as well? Curator: I do. Though they are not present directly, absence itself becomes a commentary, doesn’t it? I suggest reading this etching as a kind of critique – what stories and labor are omitted from these grand historical narratives when they are told from only a few viewpoints? Editor: That gives me so much to consider – I had not realized how a "simple" etching could have such depth. Curator: Precisely. And it calls for us to constantly interrogate, contextualize, and deconstruct the images that we consume and celebrate. Editor: I see how considering broader social forces influences your views about the artist and the impact of the work. Thanks. I now have a much better understanding of this historical work and it's still extremely powerful meaning to the contemporary issues around equity.