Subtle Intimacy: Here and There
March 18th, 2023 - June 12th, 2023
by Rui Sasaki
It's peak cherry blossom season at Portland Japanese Garden, so we departed early Sunday morning for a quick stop at Barista coffee before heading to our favorite oasis in the city. Upon arrival, we passed through Nezu gate, stopped at the Flat garden to snap photos of the weeping cherry, then meandered down to Heavenly Falls to visit the Koi. With the water still cloudy from the constant spring rain, they sleepily greeted us as we walked along the zig zag bridge. The misty drizzle turned to rain and back again as we looped around the Strolling Pond Garden and crossed Moon Bridge toward the Pavilion Gallery, the location of Japanese artist Rui Sasaki's fused glass installation. Plant specimens from the garden were illuminated in glass panels encased in a black frame that formed an ethereal room-sized box. The effect was otherworldly, as the light seemed to emanate from within the glass. The heat of the kiln had evaporated the vegetation inside, leaving a ghostly shape in its place. We headed home, soaked from the rain and exhilarated by our little adventure. A Sunday well spent.
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