Running Horses B 1967

Editor: This woodcut print, "Running Horses B," from 1967, is by the Japanese artist Tadashi Nakayama. I'm immediately struck by how static the image feels, even though it depicts running horses. The geometric shapes almost fossilize the movement. What's your take? Curator: Fossilized movement…I love that! For me, Nakayama’s horses evoke a sense of stylized power, think ancient tapestries. But not literally. Consider, the flattened perspective clashes with a swirling, almost psychedelic palette, very late 60s. Can you see how that contrast might create a unique tension? Editor: Absolutely! The geometric abstraction combined with the organic curves gives the image a kind of controlled chaos. And that earth-toned palette almost makes them feel like unearthed artifacts… Curator: Unearthed artifacts of a long-lost equestrian culture, perhaps! Nakayama had such an astute graphic sensibility. The layered printing technique emphasizes flat planes of color but, it never sacrifices depth or texture. There’s real genius there! Does that affect your perception? Editor: It does! Knowing more about his technique makes me appreciate the complexity hidden in what seems like a simple image. It's like deciphering a secret code, or finding your own focal point in a musical crescendo… Curator: Ah, you're on it! Art’s all about finding *your* focal point. About the tempo and your inner rhythms. Nakayama’s "Running Horses B" is not just an image, but a moment captured, a whisper from another world… Editor: I'll never look at it the same way. It’s great how a little context can completely transform an artwork. Curator: Precisely! It's why these visual meditations with people such as yourself are essential to finding new stories to tell through the art.