Created By
Takashi Hara
Acrylic pastel and crayon on canvas
Curator
Artbridger Curator
"Hara's 'Cherry blossom Peach blossom' captivates with its bold departure from traditional spring motifs, offering a mesmerizing exploration of spiritual energy and transformation. The dynamic interplay of color and gesture in this piece evokes a sense of cosmic choreography, where traditional calligraphy transcends its form to become a conduit for raw, untamed power. The juxtaposition of the solitary figure against the blazing red sun creates a compelling narrative of celestial dialogue, inviting viewers to contemplate the essence of nature's cyclical vitality within a contemporary context. Hara's confident brushwork and masterful use of color imbue the artwork with a sense of both reverence for tradition and innovation in artistic expression."
In "Cherry blossom Peach blossom," Hara takes a dramatic departure from his usual spring palette, creating what might be his most boldly theatrical piece in the series. Here, we find our archetypal black figure perched atop a dark mountain, silhouetted against a blazing orange sun that dominates the composition like a spiritual coronation. What's particularly fascinating is how Hara has transformed traditional Japanese calligraphy into a kind of wild, gestural abstraction. The black marks dancing around the edges of the piece suggest kanji characters caught in a windstorm, but they've been liberated from their semantic duties to become pure energy. These marks create a swirling vortex that frames both the figure and the magnificent red sun at the center. The color story here is extraordinary – the emerald green waves at the bottom provide a strong foundation, while the golden yellows and electric blues in the middle ground create a dynamic tension that draws the eye upward. The massive red-orange sun acts as both backdrop and spotlight for our solitary figure, whose red eye now seems to be in direct dialogue with this larger celestial presence. Hara's technique shows remarkable confidence in this piece. The way he allows the green pigment to bleed and pool at the bottom creates a sense of organic movement, while the more gestural brushwork in the upper portion suggests a kind of cosmic calligraphy. The drips and splatters aren't random but feel deliberately choreographed, each contributing to the overall sense of spiritual turbulence and transformation.
Created By
Takashi Hara
Wrapped in Bubble Wrap Layers
133 x 155 cm | 52 x 61 in
Unframed
2024
