Enfield Community Art Exhibition: Hope

The 'Hope' exhibition was organised by Selina Javaid at Arbeit Studios in Palmers Green. I proudly exhibited and sold my original artwork titled 'Amabie' (pencil and coloured pencils on paper).

About the artwork:

Amabie - a mermaid-like creature from Japanese folklore that prophesies a good harvest or an epidemic, yet sharing copies of its likeness defends against illness.

According to the legend, Amabie appeared in Higo Province in 1846, emerging from the deep sea against the darkening sky. The town’s official sketched the creature - it had long hair, a bird-shaped mouth and was covered in scales from the neck down to its three legs. Amabie told the official: ‘The good harvest will continue for six years from the current year; if the disease spreads, show a picture of me to those who fall ill and they will be cured.’ Later, the story was widely shared as a woodblock print, including Amabie’s figure.

I also held workshops (artist talk) on 9th April on Japanese woodblock prints - how and why they have been made and used for over 200 years; and how woodblock prints inspire my art and life. I showed great examples of original antique woodblock prints, tools used to produce them, and some of my works inspired by Japanese art.