Bridges 1909 - 1910

Curator: Here we have Kamisaka Sekka’s "Bridges," a tempera painting likely completed between 1909 and 1910. The work has a unique minimalist landscape that combines the ukiyo-e style with geometric and abstract forms. What catches your eye? Editor: Okay, immediate reaction? That electric blue is totally unexpected. It's like a stage backdrop, bold and almost playfully artificial against the more subdued greys. Curator: That's an interesting point. It is a deliberate move, considering the symbolic weight traditionally carried by irises and bridges in art. Blue often represented faithfulness and inspiration, while bridges symbolize transitions and connections. It speaks to cultural memory. Editor: Right. Faithful transitions in the theatre of life! And the bridge itself...almost disappears, it's this sliver of muted silver hinting at a path across. The irises feel dominant; nature, or maybe even beauty, takes precedence. Curator: Sekka was deeply immersed in Japanese artistic traditions and sought to revive and reimagine them, but I don't think it is accurate to suggest that nature takes precedence here; he certainly reinterprets classic Japanese artistic themes with a distinctive, modern sensibility. Editor: You're right; "precedence" isn't the right word. It feels more like a conversation between tradition and modernity. These shapes and bold choices… it's both familiar and strange. Like a haiku translated into pop art. Curator: Precisely! By distilling recognizable elements into simpler forms, Sekka is able to tap into a deeper, more universally resonant understanding of space and form in Japanese art. Editor: I love how spare everything is. Each element—the irises, the bridge—they all exist almost as stand-alone concepts but work together to make you feel a particular mood. Like melancholy filtered through optimism, almost. Curator: Melancholy is such an apt description for it. The dreamlike simplicity leaves room for a spectrum of interpretation that makes you stop and think. Editor: It feels…unresolved, which I guess makes you keep looking. Anyway, I'm obsessed! Thanks for sharing. Curator: The pleasure is all mine; Sekka continues to fascinate after all these years.