Stone of the Month: August 2019"View to Kunishiri"
This fine display created by Daniela Schifano combines a native Italian stone with a traditional Japanese scroll utilizing open space to convey deep meaning in an understated expression of beauty. She prepared this for the November 2016 Sakka Ten in Rome to welcome their guest of honor, Kobayashi Kunio, at this event.
Kannon is a Buddhist god, while Fuji-san is a Shinto symbol as well as a spectacular mountain. The pagoda is a symbol of man in the presence of the gods. The feeling is of peace and harmony. The great mountain is painted with no details other than light clouds floating in the sky. The colors are the delicate ones that precede the dawn. The sun has not yet risen. Each display can have multiple interpretations. The first, more immediate, is a beautiful tranquil scene, immersed in Nature represented by the mountain Fuji-san, large but discreet in the background. A female figure seems to stop, as if to appreciate the scenario that Nature presents. A pagoda in the valley echos the sound of a haiku in our memory.
A second reading is more complex and touches deeper and more personal strings. The style of the table suggests an altar; the figure of the Kannon, the one who listens to the voices of the world; the Fuji-san, the immortal, represents sacredness in the Shinto landscape, a kami
itself, certainly the symbol of the country. Buddhism and Shintoism together? Why not? This is one of the souls of Japan.
The stone originated from the Aveto River and measures 30 cm high, 10 cm wide, and 8 cm deep. The daiza was made in Japan by Mr. Yamasue Shinobu. The mahogany display table was made by Mr. Serghio Biagi. The ability to combine Eastern and Western elements to make an effective display is a sign of a true stone connoisseur.
