暦 Koyomi April
こよみを楽しむ
IN HARMONY WITH THE SEASONS
卯月
Mif uji 美藤
text & artwork / Allan West, coordination / Mariko Takahashi, photo / Keiiji Okazaki
The title of this painting is “Mifuji”
four panels folding screen “Mifuji”
For this painting, I approached it as
(beautiful wisteria). It reminds me of
a portrait of the person’s essence, rather
an experience I had as an elementary
than their physical characteristics. It
school student in the US. I had climbed over
has a cheerful sky with copper and gold
the fence behind the school and entered
clouds. In the background I painted the
the woods which were off-limits to us. In
words to the Noh drama play “Fuji”, using
there was a clearing, and a mass of fragrant
a fluid cursive script. In the Noh play “Fuji”
wild wisteria hanging in the bright sun. That
the female spirit of wisteria blossoms
magical vision has stayed with me until this
takes the shape of an elegant princess
ALLAN WEST
day. Wisterias were a favorite subject for my
who performs a special dance before
paintings during High School and in college in
fortunate witnesses. We can imagine the
the US. Even now, they are a motif I return to
refined beauty of the person who inspired
Born in 1962 in the US, Allan West settled in Tokyo and eventually graduated with a Master of Fine Arts from Tokyo University of the Arts. You can visit his open studio in Yanaka, Tokyo.
again and again.
this painting.
www.allanwest.jp
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