Diary: May 7th ’86 in Nara

Noda Tetsuya depicts scenes from everyday life, titling his works after the date they were created. Today anyone can capture and share memorable moments on social media, but Noda has been carrying out this practice since the 1960s. His process originated from childhood homework assignments to draw picture diaries. This work integrates the iconic structures of Yakushi-ji Temple such as the East Pagoda (Toto), West Pagoda (Saito), and the Main Hall (Kondo) into the local landscape, without giving them special treatment. Aptly, in light of the title, carp streamers (for Children’s Day on May 5) are also visible at the right edge of the picture. The expansive sky, occupying more than two-thirds of the paper, conveys the refreshing breeze of May in the ancient city. The viewer can relate to the artist’s mood as he gazes out of a train window, invoking a sense of empathy. The combination of traditional woodblock printing with contemporary techniques (using silkscreen to print fax machine-processed photographs) presents a unique sensibility and worldview. (A.J.)