Genji

I've finally finished my project on The Tale of Genji for Art History class.  I made 11 panels in all using most of the techniques we learned during the term -- marbled paper, painted paper, stencils, lino cut.  There must be more but I forget just now.  Heat transfer did not turn out for me.  The women in class on Monday along with the teacher chose which 2 I'll put into the Open House.  Next term the class will be run in the same way so I'll pick a new theme.

The Tale of Genji has fascinated me for over 25 years.  I've always loved the section describing the house Genji has built for several of his women.  Each gets a corner and a garden.  There they wait for visits from Genji.  In other words, it's a beautiful existence but essentially they are trapped.  This reminds me of my parents marriage so I added stencilled figures of a man and woman.  Also I know that Genji chose Murasaki simply by her appearance at the age of ten.  A little while later he kidnaps her and eventually takes her for another of his conquests -- a story not unlike my own so I also added a stencilled little girl.

The pair for the Open House: