Hori River Possibly 1920

Here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art is ‘Hori River’ by Hasui Kawase. It’s a woodblock print. Looking at the subtle gradations of colour, you can almost feel the stillness of twilight settling over the scene. The cool blues and grays create a serene atmosphere, but there's also a hint of melancholy, like the day is slowly fading away. I imagine Hasui, carefully carving each line into the woodblock, thinking about the passage of time, the transience of beauty, and the quiet moments of everyday life. It makes me think about the way artists are always in dialogue with one another, drawing inspiration from the world around them and from the works of those who came before. It reminds me that painting, or printmaking in this case, is an embodied expression that allows for multiple interpretations. What do you see when you look at it?