45x 14 inches

Gyōtaku

The artwork - In 1974 I made a print of a live fish caught in Santa Cruz. (This technique is called gyōtaku “fish printing.”) In fact, I had totally forgotten it, but my professor, Harumi Befu, to whom I had given it, had it in his office--and there was written my name, the place, and the date.

So I offered to mount it and give it back as a hanging scroll.

The problem was the fish itself was not that interesting...

So I ended up layering a tissue-thin painting of two gentlemen fishing over the fish print. Little do the fishermen know what lies just beneath...

chūberi - The interior patterned frame is vintage chirimen kimono fabric in a rippled wave-like pattern. 

ichimonji - The gold edges at top and bottom of the artwork are from a recycled damaged old scroll.

ten and chi - The outer top and bottom frames are pale green silk shantung.

 finials - The decorative finials at either end of the bottom roller are black plastic.

(shown with “wind weights” made from river rocks and silver paper strings.)