Ingrained – Kimono Wagara #5 (Kiku), 2024
Charcoal, graphite, watercolor on paper
15" × 19"
Charcoal, graphite, watercolor on paper
15" × 19"
Bare legs are revealed from beneath a kimono bearing a chrysanthemums pattern. Kiku, the imperial flower of Japan, carries meanings of longevity, endurance, and nobility. In the era when kimono was everyday dress, exposing a woman's legs was considered deeply shameful. Even present-day, women wearing kimonos are expected to take only small, careful steps, fearing exposure.