Pl.054 by Kawasaki Kyosen Material:400g Cotton Canvas Alice Straker arranges the sardines

Alice Straker arranges the sardines with the same casual confidence found in her wider work

or any space that values curiosity

while subtle tonal gradations bring depth and volume to their bodies

a particular Japanese sensibility that finds drama in the undramatic

Pl.054 by Kawasaki Kyosen Material:400g Cotton Canvas Alice Straker arranges the sardinesPlate 054 introduces a toy of striking graphic character bold painted markings and a compact silhouette that reads as almost modern against the sparse composition. Kyosen's draughtsmanship is confident here: thick, decisive outlines contain areas of flat colour punctuated by fine detail that rewards close looking. Created during an era when Japanese folk culture was rapidly changing, works like this carry a quiet urgency a desire to fix the handmade