In 2006, when I first saw the photographs of Tanashi Jinja Honden and the carvings by Shimamura Shunpyo, I was emotionally moved by the other worldly beauty and power of his work.
I immediately noticed the carved birds decorating the intricately carved shrine structure and intuitively knew what they represented. Similarly, I portray birds as messengers, heavenly creatures inhabiting the space between heaven and earth.
I clearly saw the harmony and balance he achieved between the heavenly and earthly realms in his work.
In the week after Kaya Wataru informed me that the name of the exhibition would be The Spiritual World of Dan Sali; all the images I would paint seemed to be waiting for this moment to flow easily into my consciousness. That was a powerful moment for me, I felt a real sense of being a part of the creative flow and spirit energy of the Tanashi Jinja Shrine.
In Shimamura Shunpyo’s carving, I saw that he paid careful attention to the seven directions of, North, South, East, West, Above, Below and Within; thus creating work that flowed from Kami spirit, through Shimamura Shunpyo’s hands and into the wood.
For Shimamura, the creative process become a sacred process, uniting spirit, artist and material, creating a work of beauty that then became a conduit between humans and Kami spirit, or nature spirit.
My paintings are but a humble echo of the creative spirit and energy that Shimamura Shunpyo brought to his work. What Shimamura Shunpyo did with wood, I’ve sought to do with paper, paint and ink.
The images that I bring back from my journeys into creative space are not only in me, I believe these very same images are found in every one of us. I visually present them so that others may recognize these images within themselves, to find a unifying and positive message of hope, courage and beauty.
The motifs and images that Shimamura used created a spiritual language of carved images that clearly convey the Kami spirit.
Shimamura accomplished this by uniting two worlds in one symbolic space.
I admire that immensely, and in my own simple way, I pay tribute to his creative legacy.
Shimamura Shunpyo knew that an artist needed a creative sensitivity and intuition to respond to the whispered messages of the Kami or nature spirit that surrounded him.
I would suggest that theses messages of spirit and nature, are often quite simply a message of ‘Beauty,’ where rock, tree, grass, bird, animal, insect, woman and man, are balanced in a spiritual harmony with natures beauty.
When we walk in beauty, we walk with nature’s spirit. When we leave our sacred spaces and carrying this natural nature essence in our hearts and minds back into the world, this simple act brings change to world.
This message of ‘Beauty’ carries within it the healing of our planet.
Daniel E. Sali.
August 18, 2008
Link to my new gallery: COLLECTIVE WORKS GALLERY
http://www.collectiveworks.ca/site/mission_links_page.htmlUp Coming Exhibition:
'Essential Spaces'
Paintings and Poetry
Works by Daniel E. Sali and Linda Lane Schmid
COLLECTIVE WORKS GALLERY
1311 Gladstone Avenue, Victoria BC
Opening reception May 8, 7pm - 9pm
Show runs May 8th to May 22nd
Link to linda Jane Schmid's website:
