Inspired by Japanese ukiyo-e master Hokusai’s famous images of Mount Fuji the Japan Foundation Sydney is presenting an exhibition and public program by UNSW Art & Design Senior Lecturer Dr Michael Garbutt titled Thirty-Seven Views of Fuji: Seeing the world through the eyes of Hokusai’s boy.

In one of Hokusai’s instantly recognisable masterpieces, Boy Viewing Mount Fuji,  a boy sits on the bough of a willow tree, playing the flute, at ease in the world, anchored to the transcendent power of the sacred mountain. Taking this art work as a point of departure Garbutt asks - is it possible to experience that transformative sense of connection to place represented in Hokusai’s painting while sitting in urban spaces framed by modern infrastructure?

The exhibition presents documents of Garbutt’s research practice. Using Google View image captures, the artist proposes 'imagined on-location sites' of Hokusai’s prints, although it is known that Hokusai primarily worked in a studio. Garbutt also records his experience of ‘sitting-as-art’, a contemporary art practice which takes the contemplative gaze of the seated artist as its primary medium to develop a connection to place.

Event program

THIRTY-SEVEN VIEWS OF CHIPPENDALE 
By artist Michael Garbutt 

ARTIST TALK 
February 2 6:30pm – 7:30pm (doors open 6pm) 
Walk-ins welcome. 

WORKSHOP
February 4 2pm – 5pm 
Limited places available. Bookings essential. 

The artist talk and workshop will be held at The Japan Foundation Sydney from January 20 to February 18, 2017. Admission is free, bookings are required.