WAttention Tokyo Vol.35

Page 3

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

WAttention Tokyo |

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