Taito Fushimi

River Surface

River Surface Main

Caption

Suminagashi is a traditional Japanese art with a history of more than one thousand years. Its origin is said to be a courtly pastime from around the ninth century, in which people dropped ink onto the surface of a river and enjoyed the changing patterns produced by the current. River Surface transfers suminagashi patterns made with water from the Shibuya River onto washi paper. The Shibuya River once formed in the valley of Shibuya and played an important role in local agriculture and everyday life. As the city developed, its form gradually changed, and much of the river was culverted. The visible water surface was lost in the name of efficient urban land use, and the river also faded from public memory. Even now, however, flows and ponds remain near the river's source, and water continues to spring up. The water that once ran into the river and supported people's lives is still there. Can we imagine the presence of the river that flowed beneath the city of Shibuya and sustained everyday life?

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Detail

  • Year: 2024
  • Media: Ink on Washi Paper, 198 x 98.5 cm
  • Credit: Taito Fushimi
  • Presentation: OPEN ART - Shibuya Independent Exhibition, Shibuya City Office Main Building 1F (2024.08.08 - 08.22)