Various - Richard Blackford: Seven Hokusai Miniatures

The seven prints I chose from Hokusai�s immense output of Ukiyo-e, or 'pictures from the floating world', represent landscapes, seascapes and scenes from Japanese town and country life around the iconic Mount Fuji. Whereas some movements are inspired by a single picture, others are composites of many scenes or visual variations on a theme. In responding musically to Hokusai�s genius for capturing the essence of an image I concentrated mainly on pictures that evoke movement and dynamism (II A Sudden Gust of Wind: III Waterfalls: VI A Wild Sea at Choshi). By contrast, the central movement A Friend Departing In Snow has a stillness that is only broken by the yearning for the departing friend.