Contemporary Japanese Artist: Mountains

Contemporary Japanese Artist: Mountains and Skylines

Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

Sawako Utsumi is a contemporary artist from northern Japan. In her works, she vividly reimagines the colors of mountains and skylines, offering a bold reinterpretation of natural landscapes. While the spiritual aspects are not overt, the influence of Buddhism and Shintoism subtly permeates her art through themes of continuity, space, and time.

In the artwork above, Sawako Utsumi pays tribute to Hagiwara Hideo (1913–2007). While acknowledging his legacy, she asserts her own artistic voice by incorporating bold, original elements—a stark white tree set against a radiant yellow mountain and a vivid, low red skyline. These striking features, evoking energy, renewal, and vitality, offer a layered reinterpretation that both honors and transforms the essence of Hagiwara’s vision.

Hagiwara gained prominence in the latter half of the 20th century, his perspective deeply shaped by the trauma and experiences of the wartime era.

The highly lauded poet Ōtagaki Rengetsu (1791-1875) influenced many people connected to the arts and other angles of high culture. Her Buddhist faith gave her strength during times of extreme pain and sorrow.

Ōtagaki Rengetsu gracefully wrote:

My wish is to see
a cloudless moon
above the lotus flower
in my next life.

One can almost sense the gentle spirit of Ōtagaki Rengetsu drifting through Sawako Utsumi’s mountain landscapes and tender, dreamlike skylines.

Each of the four artworks evokes a quiet tranquility and a dreamlike atmosphere that gently echoes in the heart, especially in moments of heightened emotion.

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/japanese-yellow-mountain-and-stillness-sawako-utsumi.html Japanese Yellow Mountain and Stillness

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/stillness-of-the-dimming-night-homage-to-hagiwara-hideo-sawako-utsumi.htmlStillness of the Dimming Night by Sawako Utsumi

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/japanese-green-mountain-and-tranquility-sawako-utsumi.html Japanese Green Mountain and Tranquility

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/stillness-of-the-night-utsumi-and-homage-to-hagiwara-hideo-sawako-utsumi.html?newartwork=trueStillness of the Night by Sawako Utsumi

http://sawakoart.com – Sawako Utsumi