Two cotton indigo panels with ‘waves’ and ‘wheel of the Law’ patterns, Japan, Showa (circa 1950’s), cm 150x35 each. An interesting find. These bold panels come from an old, recently sourced, job lot. They were originally meant for sewing together a summer kimono (yukata). The machine-made cottons and the industrial printing process for design, leave no doubts about the fact that these cottons have originated in post-WWII Japan. None-the-less they also do witness how, also within industrial framework, the old schemes still played an important role. In fact, here we are representations of ‘waves’ and ‘Dharma-cakra’. Most of us do associate the design of waves in Japan with the work of painter Katsushika Hokusai, whose depiction of the (big) tide by the shores of Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki namiura) has raised to iconic status in recent times. In fact, the Japanese understanding of the waves movement is the play of flowing life, where the overwhelming power of nature rules human life. Another milestone in Buddhism is the eight-spoked wheel that symbolizes the supremacy of religion Law, thus the name used… All this to try explain the very peculiar nature of these country, who steps a foot in the very next future while sticking the other deeply into tradition. And this is why, i think, sometimes we really try hard in understanding Japan, with little success, if none at all.. Whatever this, here we do have two nice and bold (even if not very vintage) examples for this dichotomy, and worth considering for that. a great visual statement, in very good condition. Recommended.