Impressions of Japan

Impressions of Japan

During her formative years in New York, Renée-Paule Danthine followed with great interest the work and teachings of Ansei Uchima, a painter of Japanese origin. Fascinated by the art of this country, she has always used Japanese paper, applying it, working it in layers, experimenting with writings. Last year, she stayed in Japan equipped with a small notebook that she filled with Japanese brush sketches. Materials that the artist will use as soon as she returns to Switzerland.

Right from the start, the contrast is striking. On the one hand, works subjected to a rigorous geometric construction, on the other hand, works offering vegetal elements floating on a plain background.

In the first series, circles enclosed in squares mesmerize, like a precious element detached from the armor of a samurai. In each of the circles, the spectator discovers a different universe, precise in its details, while the arrangement of the shapes structuring the space provides a beautiful balance. The work on the infinitely varied colors is magnificent.The lightness of the leaves, flowers and other grasses of the second series stands in contrast to the power of these works. These isolated, aerial motifs invite contemplation. The stripping down, the care taken with the sparse leaves, refers to luxuriance as a matter of course, that of the two great paintings in this series, and beyond that to nature. Here too, the backgrounds are superbly worked, the different layers revealing a very rich texture.

M. Saint Siffre