Flow State: The work of Hiroshi Senju
We first came upon Hiroshi Senju’s work after visiting Shofuso, the Japanese house in Philadelphia. Twenty full-scale murals of his famous motif, the waterfall, are installed on fusuma (paper sliding doors) in the interior of the house. The diffused washes of subdued colors recall both Abstract Expressionism and Nihonga (an ancient Japanese painting tradition).
Born in Tokyo, Senju has had a long and prestigious career. In 1995 he became the first Asian artist to be awarded an Honorable Mention at the Venice Biennale. He currently lives and works in New York.
Waterfalls are a recurring motif for this Japanese artist. Senju’s interest in nature extends to his materials--he uses pigments derived from all materials such as seashells and oysters and applies the paint to washi (Japanese mulberry paper).
Hiroshi Senju at work on his Waterfall paintings.
Want to know more? See check out Senju’s gallery here.