Richard Whitehead

Oukaranman, "A riot of Cherry Blossoms"

Oukaranman,"A riot of Cherry Blossoms"

Writing on Oukaranman by
Dr. Alison Bancroft

One of the most iconic symbols of Japan, cherry blossoms, appear across a range of images; from the famous paintings of the Nineteenth Century Japanese artist Utagawa Hiroshige, to contemporary manga comics and tattoos. Japanese news media track them as they open each year, from the south of the island to the north, and use this domino effect to illustrate the creeping arrival of spring across the land. The blossoms are the visual and conceptual shorthand for a nation that is simultaneously ancient and utterly modern.