Village Shrine

This folding screen combines abstract forms with motifs from Shinto, Japan’s indigenous belief system. On the right panel are two sets of tori—gates found at the entrances of Shinto shrines—and a gohei, a wooden ritual staff with folded paper strips attached. Billowing white shapes suggest the robes worn by Shinto priests. These partially glimpsed forms, together with silhouetted trees and the restricted palette, create an otherworldly atmosphere. Ujiie Minoru is a Kyoto-born fiber artist who remains little known outside Japan, despite having received awards at international exhibitions.