Rain at Nissaka 1942

Hasui Kawase made this woodblock print, Rain at Nissaka, sometime in the first half of the 20th century. I like how the colour palette is restricted to muted blues and greens. This makes me think about artmaking as a process of reduction, a process of editing. It’s the surface of the print that really grabs me here. Look at the reflections in the wet street, the way the light bounces off the stones and the wooden buildings. The materiality of the printmaking process adds depth and texture to the scene. The details of the buildings are also so neat. These long, thin lines, all perfectly parallel, feel almost mechanical, like the printing press itself. It reminds me of the work of someone like Agnes Martin, with its subtle and precise lines. The way both artists use repetition and subtle variation creates a sense of calm and contemplation. It’s a reminder that art is always an ongoing conversation, a continuous exchange of ideas across time.