Bloei Possibly 1905

Furuya Kōrin made 'Bloei', a woodblock print, at the start of the 20th century. The grey-blue background feels like a moody sky, pierced by soft blooms, pale as moonlight. The overall effect is like a ghostly, almost dreamlike state. The title written on a vertical beige strip, brings a formal order to the wildness of nature. Imagine Kōrin working with the wood, carving the delicate petals, feeling the resistance of the grain. It's a dance between control and surrender, isn't it? The artist is trying to bring form to something that is, by nature, formless – like trying to capture the scent of a flower. This work is like a quiet conversation with earlier traditions of Japanese art, but with Kōrin's own distinct whisper. We artists, we're all just talking to each other across time, picking up on each other's ideas, riffing on each other's melodies. It's an ongoing exchange of creativity.