I am not knowledgeable about art. However, I was powerfully impacted several years ago as I learned about a Japanese and NYC-based artist, Makoto Fujimura. I was even able to hear him speak at Duke University last year.
On the website, http://www.byfor.org/, he offers some free art images from a project called Countenance. It is explained there this way:
"Countenance is an example of Nihonga, a traditional medieval Japanese painting technique. Pigments are created by grinding minerals, shells, corals, and even semiprecious stones. These organic pigments are washed onto handmade papers. The crystalline paint reflects and refracts light, dynamically changing the color and texture of the work."
His work reminds us of the cross of Jesus, God's finished work. On the cross, life came from death. In Mako's work, the finished product comes from the destruction of minerals. As we seek to see the finished work of Christ relevant in Japan, Lisa and I wanted his work as our background for this reason.
Reflections on mission to Japan's next generation
