SAKURA

Sakura is the cherry blossom festival widely celebrated in Japan. This natural phenomenon occurring in Spring embodies the Wabi-sabi philosophy and shinto ideals of impermanence, hope and renewal and is one of Japan’s most iconic natural symbols.

Because the trees bloom briefly, the blossoms are often seen as a metaphor for the ephemeral beauty of living. The arts and crafts have celebrated and marked this Spring event for centuries. The cherry blossom branches were a prominent feature in the woodblock prints of Japanese artists like Utagawa Hiroshige, Katsushika Hokusai and Togaku. Later on, with the influence of Japonism in Europe, the same transcendental beauty can be observed in the paintings of Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet or Edgar Degas. Sakura remains a fascinating and mysterious source of inspiration for contemporary artists. In 2008 Damin Hirst revealed a series of paintings inspired by blossom pinkish trees, titled Renewal Blossom.

Enjoy our own selection of artworks in celebration of Sakura and the beginning of Spring.

Cover: Svetlana Norel, Flowering apricot branches (2019)