KUWAI HANA

CANVAS DRAGON Black Dragon F50

Two swirls positioned at the top and bottom of the screen. They are modeled after the komainu—guardian lion-dogs that protect the sacred precincts along the approach to a Shinto shrine. The countless chaotic lines rushing between this pair of guardians form the face of a carved dragon. This work depicts the world of the dragon deities that thrive in Japan’s ancient Shinto tradition through the visual language of UNDULATION.

On this large canvas—F50—the artist deliberately placed the komainu in the lower right corner on a grand scale. Taking the massive, deeply rooted vortex as its starting point, the dragon’s chaotic lines race diagonally upward from the lower left to the upper right, causing the entire canvas to rise as a single, great undulation. It is precisely this asymmetrical tension—born from the deliberate disruption of balance—that serves as the source of this work’s dynamism.

The carved lines etched into the jet-black surface shimmer with a predominantly purple hue, occasionally reflecting flashes of gold and blue. They resemble the glint of scales, a bolt of lightning splitting the clouds, and the very breath of a dragon. The komainu statues at the top and bottom are coated with a special silver paint that emits a subtle yet distinct glow depending on the viewing angle and the shifting light.

A dragon rising from the black abyss, flanked by two whirlpools that welcome and protect it. This moment—where god and guardian clash and resonate—is captured here with overwhelming depth and presence.