Kashima Odori
£75.00
Artwork Details
Medium:
Sumi ink
Ships from:
UK
Framing:
Custom
Worldwide delivery available
Hokusai remains one of my favourite Japanese artists - not because of his famous painting "The Great Wave', but because his mastery of the brush allowed him to blend pictorial representation with the rhythmic energy of written characters, which always fascinated me. How can combine strict rules imposed on artists back then and yet offer intense, wavering, and lively calligraphic energy?
The Kashima Odori (Kashima Dance) is an auspicious, traditional Shinto dance. Originally tied to the Kashima Shrine—whose deity was historically associated with pinning down the giant mythological catfish that caused earthquakes—it eventually evolved into a popular, lively performance seen in Edo-period street festivals.
When Hokusai tackled the Kashima Odori, he was faced with the challenge of translating the frantic, rhythmic choreography of festival dancers onto a static surface.