Undertaken in Daitoku-ji’s Obai-in temple, this work is part of German photographer Karen Knorr’s ongoing series titled Monogatari, a piece inspired by the artist’s reflection of Japan’s cultural heritage and the wabi-sabi aesthetic (a Japanese sense of beauty that emphasizes simplicity and imperfection) during her travels through the country in 2012. This work combines photography and byobu-style folding screens printed on rice paper. Themes include animal life, Japanese cultural heritage, and myths; especially those of animals appearing in the temple and shrine architecture of Tokyo, Nara, and Kyoto, and those featured in the Tale of Genji. Knorr’s work also introduces animals that personify ghosts and supernatural monsters belonging to local folklore. Women wearing kimonos also appear to symbolize the omnipresence of tradition.
Karen Knorr: Once only, Only Once
11th April to 15th May 2018
Obai-in temple, Daitoku-ji
Kyoto, Japan
An exhibition part of Kyotographie
