Among Ishikawa’s single-panel pieces, this is one of the largest. He commented its size as follows:

“At that time, I had a studio with a sort of atrium space, so when I created this work, I could observe from above, from the second floor, how it gradually took shape day by day. This entire process stretched over four months.” (Selected by the Artist, Annotated by the Artist)*

Regarding the technique he used, there is a telling passage in Ishikawa’s remarks about another work, Ryōkan Poem No. 5:

“This experiment in “taction”—where the angle was subtly altered, barely touching or not touching the surface—eventually led to the creation of Tsurezuregusa No. 14 and Tsurezuregusa No. 16.” (ibid.)

Ishikawa has always been highly sensitive to the emotional impact of black and white, as well as the risk of over-reliance on the technique of blurring. The word hisshoku 筆蝕 (here translated as “taction”), which is a kanji combination he coined himself, embodies both his pursuit of the extremes of the kasure (dry brush) approach and the delicate, almost imperceptible touch seen in the present work. Tsurezuregusa No. 16 develops the latter approach on a large scale. It is a representative works that shines brilliantly within Ishikawa’s larger oeuvre.

Ishikawa Kyuyoh (calligrapher; b. 1945)

Born in Fukui Prefecture, Japan in 1945. Graduated from the Faculty of Law at Kyoto University. After serving as a professor at Kyoto Seika University and the director of the Institute for Writing and Civilizations, he is now an emeritus professor at the same university. Ishikawa has elucidated the concept that “calligraphy is the art of hisshoku (taction),” and interprets the structure and history of calligraphy. As a critic, he is also active in discussions on the Japanese language and culture, which have had a significant impact across various fields. In both his artistic creations and written works, Ishikawa continues to produce cutting-edge expressions and insights. His body of work includes over 2,000 calligraphic pieces and more than 100 published books.