Water Shrine

The painting by Hiroshi Senju, titled "Water Shrine" (水の神殿 – Mizu no Shinden), located in the international terminal of Haneda Airport in Tokyo, is not just a work of art but a transcendental experience that brings an attentive viewer into a state of deep reflection. The monumental depiction of a waterfall, surrounded by lush greenery, emerges from the silence and seems to exist in eternal motion. It is a moment frozen in time, perpetually renewed, offering the viewer a sanctuary where water and rock merge in infinite harmony.

This painting, executed in the Nihonga style, delves deeply into the meanings of transience and impermanence, which are fundamental to the philosophy and aesthetics of Japanese art. The water, falling from an invisible height, symbolizes life—dynamic, constantly in motion, yet simultaneously fleeting and elusive. It is a manifestation of Zen philosophy, where reality is perceived as a process rather than a fixed entity. The water, transforming, breaking, and splashing into thousands of drops, reminds us of the nature of things: everything is in a state of continuous transformation; nothing is permanent. Transience, though inevitable, is also beautiful, and its beauty lies in the awareness of its momentariness. Every drop of water is unique; every second of life is unrepeatable.

At the same time, Senju's painting reflects a profound balance between harmony and chaos. The waterfall, though symbolizing a certain chaos and unpredictability in its dynamic motion, is not portrayed as a destructive force but as an element that unifies nature. What appears to be chaotic and wild finds its place in the larger order of the natural world. The rocks, hard and unyielding, contrast with the fluid, unpredictable water, yet they are not its opposites—rather, they provide resistance that shapes its course, directs its flow. This is a reflection of the Taoist philosophy of mutual interdependence of opposites—yin and yang—which are inseparable and essential to maintaining balance.

Encountering this painting is a truly introspective experience. Standing, struck by this phenomenon, the viewer is invited to contemplate their own existence, its transience, and beauty. The painting becomes a mirror in which the inner state of mind, desires, fears, and dreams are reflected. This is precisely what Japanese art does best—it is a mirror of the unseen or of things we do not want to see. Most often—things about ourselves.

A good painting can contain not only sound but also silence. And a very loud silence at that. This is exactly what happens in Hiroshi Senju's "Water Shrine." The water, whose murmur can almost be heard, acts like a meditative mantra, leading the viewer to a state of calm and focus. Time slows down, and the mind turns to its inner nature, discovering in this silence and tranquility a deep unity with the surrounding world. At this moment, it becomes clear that the boundary between viewer and artwork, between observer and nature, is illusory. Senju's painting becomes a bridge connecting the outer world with the inner landscape of the soul, opening a space for transcendental experience.

Through his art, Hiroshi Senju not only showcases the beauty of nature but also invites deep reflection on our place in its endless cycle. His paintings, combining traditional Nihonga techniques with modern interpretations, become a meditation on nature, time, and the meaning of human life. In this sense, "Water Shrine" is not just a painting but a philosophical experience.

Who is Hiroshi Senju?

Hiroshi Senju, born in 1958 in Tokyo, is one of the most influential contemporary Japanese painters, best known for his monumental waterfall paintings. From an early age, Senju drew inspiration from the Nihonga tradition—a style of Japanese painting that uses natural materials and techniques dating back centuries. His fascination with nature, particularly waterfalls, began to shape his artistic pursuits, leading him to create a unique visual language that merges Japanese tradition with modern expression.

Senju's career gained momentum in the 1990s when he represented Japan at the Venice Biennale in 1995. His 14-meter-wide waterfall mural "The Fall" attracted international attention, bringing his works to the global art stage. As an artist constantly exploring new boundaries, Senju collaborated with other renowned artists and curators, unafraid of innovation and experimentation with diverse materials such as fluorescent pigments. From 2007 to 2013, he served as the director of Kyoto University of Art and Design, sharing his knowledge and inspiring new generations of artists.

Senju has received numerous awards and distinctions. He was awarded the prestigious Isamu Noguchi Award for innovation and promoting intercultural dialogue, as well as the Kyoto Prize for outstanding contributions to the development of art. His works are in collections worldwide, from the United States to Singapore, and his unique approach to traditional Nihonga painting, combined with modern techniques, has made him one of the leading figures in contemporary Japanese art.

Waterfalls of Thought

In Hiroshi Senju's work, waterfalls become more than mere depictions of nature—they become metaphors for life, continuous transformation, and spiritual rebirth. The water in his works, reminiscent of Heraclitean ideas of constant flux, symbolizes the permanence of change. What flows is never the same, and the waterfall becomes a symbol of both infinity and the ephemerality of existence. The water in Senju's works also suggests a mystical connection between man and nature, reminding us of its power and beauty, which are integral elements of the spiritual experience.

Senju skillfully blends tradition with modernity, drawing from the classic Nihonga techniques that use natural pigments like gofun from shells, while also experimenting with modern means of expression such as fluorescent paints and light effects. His works are a testament to the ongoing dialogue between the past and the present, between what is old and what is new. In this way, Senju not only preserves the Japanese painting tradition but also evolves it, transforming traditional techniques into a modern artistic language that resonates with contemporary audiences worldwide.

Dualism is a key element in Senju's work, where harmony arises from the juxtaposition of contrasts. His paintings often explore the boundaries between day and night, motion and stillness, reality and imagination, leading the viewer on a meditative journey through these opposing yet interdependent worlds. This juxtaposition reflects Zen philosophy, where paradoxes are seen as gateways to deeper understanding, and contemplation of them leads to a state of spiritual peace and unity with nature.

Nihonga in the Global Context

Hiroshi Senju's work is a conscious and complex blending of Eastern and Western influences. His paintings, though rooted in the traditional Nihonga techniques, bear traces of modernist and abstract influences from the West. Senju becomes a mediator between two worlds, harmonizing differences and showing that seemingly contradictory elements can coexist and complement each other.

However, Senju does not operate in isolation; his work is also the result of numerous interactions with other artists and institutions. Collaborating with creators like Kaii Higashiyama and contemporary architects like Ryue Nishizawa, Senju demonstrates the immense power of artistic dialogue. The influence of different eras and cultures—from the Japanese Nihonga school of painting to modern architecture—is present in his works, which function as meetings of distant currents.

The way Senju's works are received globally testifies to the presence of something in his painting that transcends cultural boundaries—it could be a longing for harmony with nature, a desire for deeper introspection, or simply the beauty of a moment frozen in time. And while the waterfalls appear and "behave" like Zen works in the Nihonga style, they speak to us, Europeans, powerfully, even if we do not know and do not feel what emptiness and infinity mean in the eyes of a Japanese person.

Ecology

Senju's works, especially his famous waterfalls, deeply resonate with the themes of climate change and biodiversity conservation. The artist himself emphasizes that, through his art, he also becomes an activist. By using natural pigments, such as gofun from shells and minerals, Senju references humanity's primal connection to nature, showcasing its beauty as well as its fragility.

Senju's art is also an important medium for social change, promoting dialogue about ecological and social responsibility. His experiments with fluorescent pigments, which evoke urban and industrial landscapes, simultaneously suggest the harmony we can find in merging nature with modernity. His works, illuminated by UV rays, show how beauty can emerge from darkness, suggesting that even in times of crisis, there is potential for renewal and transformation.

Senju expects something from the viewer—that reflection on the power and fragility of nature and its close relationship with humanity will lead to another reflection: on our responsibility to preserve, or at least not destroy, nature in its natural state. His art is not merely an aesthetic experience but also a moral call to action. It reminds us that in the face of contemporary ecological and social challenges, we must find new ways to coexist with our environment, reconnecting with its original harmony and balance.

At the Edge of the World…

The "At World's End" Series

Hiroshi Senju's waterfalls are not merely aesthetic depictions of nature; they are profound meditations on movement and transformation. It is this fascination with the boundary between being and non-being, between movement and stillness, that leads Senju to explore more extreme themes in another series: "At World's End." While the waterfalls focus on the continuous flow and cyclicality of life, the paintings in the "At World's End" series take a step further—they are a reflection on the ultimate boundaries of existence and the possibilities that arise at the threshold of the unknown.

"At World's End" is a series of paintings by Hiroshi Senju that go beyond traditional representations of nature and introduce us to a liminal space—a place where the physical world ends and the metaphysical unknown begins. In these works, Senju creates visions of the edge of the world that are both real and symbolic. Using his characteristic techniques and materials, such as mineral pigments and Japanese mulberry paper, the artist captures the elusive atmosphere of an ending that is also the beginning of something new. These paintings are, therefore, a meditation on the place where our ability to understand ends and where the invisible and infinite begin. "At World's End" is a visual question about what lies beyond the boundary of our knowledge, as well as an invitation to explore unknown spiritual and existential paths that start where our previous horizons end.

Standing on the Edge of the World…

Hiroshi Senju's paintings from the "At World's End" series are not merely representations of landscapes but deep meditations on the idea of boundaries—both physical and metaphysical. In these works, Senju examines moments of transition between the known and the unknown, the visible and the invisible, guiding the viewer to places where the earth seems to end, and the sky and water merge into one. Water, whose endless flow is a recurring motif in his work, here becomes a symbol of a boundary beyond which begins something intangible, perhaps infinity, perhaps emptiness.

"At World's End" can be interpreted as a reflection on the human condition, on our constant search for the boundaries of knowledge and experience. Where does the physical world end, and the spiritual begin? Senju seems to pose this question, not providing a definitive answer but instead suggesting that the boundaries we see are merely illusions of the limitations we create ourselves. Water, falling from a cliff into the unknown, may symbolize both the inevitability of our destiny and the possibility of transcending what is known.

In the "At World's End" series, Senju uses effects of mist and blurring to create landscapes that exist at the boundary between wakefulness and dream, reality and imagination. Here we see the roots of Zen, which is one of the pillars of Senju's work and emphasizes the transient nature of reality. Senju invites the viewer to accept this "end of the world" as a place where materiality gives way to spirituality, and the boundaries of human experience are crossed into... precisely, the unknown. Beyond this is only a mirror—we will see what we bring ourselves.

This series also challenges the very concept of an ending. What does "end" mean in a world that is constantly in motion, continuously renewing and transforming? "At World's End" provokes us to consider whether one can ever truly reach the end. Perhaps the end is just a moment where our perception, our consciousness, and our existence must transform in order to continue observing? In this sense, Senju not only paints landscapes but also maps the topography of the human spirit, inviting us to contemplate our own limits and look beyond them.

Conclusion

Senju's works remind us that the boundaries we encounter in the external world are often reflections of our internal limitations. His paintings encourage us to seek out these invisible barriers and to cross them toward something new, yet undiscovered. Water, stone, mist—each element in his works becomes a symbol of a journey that each of us must undertake to understand our own nature and place in the boundless universe.

Senju proposes that we look beyond what is known and accept the unknown not as an abyss but as an infinite possibility. His art thus becomes not only a reflection on the external world but, above all, an introspective map that guides us to discover our inner truth.

Ultimately, it is not the landscapes that Senju paints that matter most, but the space his art opens up for us—a space where we can find our own answers to questions about life, death, transience, and infinity. It is in this space, at the edge of the world and our mind, that we can find the true "end of the world."

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 A connoisseur of Asian culture with a deep-seated appreciation for various philosophies of the world. By education, psychologist and Korean philologist. By heart, an Android developer and an ardent tech aficionado. In tranquil moments, he champions a disciplined way of life, firmly believing that steadfastness, perpetual self-enhancement, and a dedication to one's passions is a sensible path for life.

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