Landscapes of Longing

continued

Several of the fifty-five prints are celebrated as among Hiroshige's finest works, including station 16, "Kambara" (above). Two people struggle through snow, and a third seeks shelter in a partially opened umbrella. Hiroshige's views of inclement weather are so prized that he was known as "the artist of rain, snow, and mist."

The exhibit also includes a selection of Chinese prints from the fourteenth to the early twentieth century, drawn from the UMMA's collections, depicting the idyllic countryside retreats of Chinese scholars, Buddhists, and fishermen. Kenro Izu's moody, black-and-white photographs show temples in Angkor and Angkor Wat, the latter suggesting the ancient, decaying Cambodian complex suspended in timelessness. Hiroshi Sugimoto's black-and-white photos depict cool, minimalistic seascapes. This dazzling juxtaposition of four different views of landscapes is on display at the UMMA from January 21 through April 2.

[Review published February 2006]