The white sand and rock formations in a Japanese garden are, in reality, nothing more than sand and rocks. But enjoying the free association, the viewer can see in them such images as ‘Island in the sea’ or ‘The universe and the self’
.Mitate (mi-ta-té) refers to a process of thought that Japanese culture has enjoyed since ancient times – a form of analogy, comparing one thing to another.
One Hundred Views of Mitate is a series of 100 prints made between 1996 and 2016. Each image has an icon set on a stage. These icons are considered profoundly relevant to Japanese culture and are referred to from antiquity in poems, stories, songs and dances. They are also painted onto pictures, made into pastry, and used as decorations and patterns on kimono fabric. The viewer is invited to select individual prints from the series, their own associations giving new life and meanings to these worn-out and antiquated symbols of Japanese culture.
This is a selection of single woodcuts available to add to your collection. Please contact the gallery for details of the complete set of 100 woodcuts.