Fishing in the River Kinu 

Katsushika Hokusai created this woodblock print of Fishing in the River Kinu. Through Hokusai's eyes, we observe the communal labor of fishing, a scene deeply embedded in Japan’s cultural identity and its reliance on natural resources. The fishermen are rendered as almost anonymous figures, emphasizing their collective effort. This contrasts with Hokusai's own identity as an artist who pushed against the traditional boundaries of his time. The print invites us to consider the relationship between humanity and nature, labor and leisure, and the individual versus the collective. It is tempting to think about Hokusai's own relationship to his work. He once said, “From around the age of six, I had the habit of sketching from life. I became a painter, and from fifty on began producing works that won some reputation, but nothing I did before the age of seventy was worthy of attention.” As we stand here, we are left to contemplate the enduring tension between societal norms and the individual's quest for self-expression.