August 15, 2006
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A Cross -cultural Encounter
Lily's here, sort of. More news over the next few days.
Meanwhile, here's one of my favorite cross-cultural artifacts. This one is a souvenir plate for Arizona tourists, hand-painted in Japan, probably in the late 40's, early 50's.
Think upon the predicament of the Japanese painter assigned to do these plates. There he sits, brushes in hand, paints disported on his table and Arizona is as far away as the moon and equally unknown.
"What does a saguaro cactus (he undoubtedly has a photograph as a reference) look like, in situ," he asks himself and begins to paint.
Almost, but no cigar, as he's moved from representational art, what the Arizona buyer is hoping for, and has instead drawn a place existing only in his imagination..
pearlbamboo
copyright e.p. hodges
Comments (6)
but i love it!
i do too.....
but the plate is to be cherished
I have some china made in "occupied Japan"...this is during that time, too. Glad to see you back. Hope all is ok with you.
that's interesting. places alien to us can only be imagined by what's readily available in our psyche. how can someone born and raised in Japan faithfully portray a landlocked, desert landscape? how can someone used to a certain way of life, imagine anything different...
the things artists must do to pay the rent!
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