The head of the Buddha emerges on a green background. Shoji Fuku, who painted portraits early in her career, later began to focus on non-human subjects such as Buddhist statues and dolls, as well as other spiritual matter. This work is from the middle of her career, when her subjects were changing in this way, and she was researching Buddha statues carved directly into natural cliffs in Usuki, Oita Prefecture. Over time, they had become covered in moss, and it was hard to know who made had them and for what purpose. Shoji may have sensed a greater power at work in the appearance of these artificial human-like forms integrated with nature. The Japanese title means “listen to the divine will and become enlightened.”
(HIBINO Miyon)
The head of the Buddha emerges on a green background. Shoji Fuku, who painted portraits early in her career, later began to focus on non-human subjects such as Buddhist statues and dolls, as well as other spiritual matter. This work is from the middle of her career, when her subjects were changing in this way, and she was researching Buddha statues carved directly into natural cliffs in Usuki, Oita Prefecture. Over time, they had become covered in moss, and it was hard to know who made had them and for what purpose. Shoji may have sensed a greater power at work in the appearance of these artificial human-like forms integrated with nature. The Japanese title means “listen to the divine will and become enlightened.”
(HIBINO Miyon)
*You can also see sketches for this work.