Dream 1922

Yasuo Kuniyoshi created ‘Dream’ with oil on canvas. The subdued, almost murky colors suggest this painting is the product of a meditative state, or perhaps an exploration of the unconscious. Kuniyoshi coaxes forms out of the darkness, like a slow revealing. I’m drawn to the contrast between the more defined shapes and the areas of soft focus, particularly around the bull on the left. There's a tension between representation and abstraction, which makes me think about the process of painting as a kind of searching. Look at the almost surreal placement of objects and figures – the floating girl, the looming house, the bull lurking in the shadows. This dreamlike logic reminds me of the paintings of Giorgio de Chirico, who similarly used flattened perspectives and symbolic imagery to create a sense of unease and mystery. Ultimately, this painting embraces ambiguity, inviting us to bring our own associations and interpretations to the canvas.