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Golden Sea

A film, exhibition, and monograph by Makoto Fujimura, sponsored by the Institute

Golden Sea is a major mid-career project by Makoto Fujimura. It takes its name from a series of paintings by the artist, and in addition to painted works, the project comprises a published retrospective monograph containing images of his paintings with accompanying essays by leading critics and scholars and a biographical documentary film featuring interviews with Fujimura and his colleagues.
Golden Sea is a major mid-career project by Makoto Fujimura. It takes its name from a series of paintings by the artist, and in addition to painted works, the project comprises a published retrospective monograph containing images of his paintings with accompanying essays by leading critics and scholars and a biographical documentary film featuring interviews with Fujimura and his colleagues.
"Golden Sea, a painting that began in a corner of his studio as a means of playful recreation, has become the lens through which to view his entire artistic project. It sets a course for his future work and the technical and vocational decisions he must make each day." – Dan A. Siedell
"Golden Sea, a painting that began in a corner of his studio as a means of playful recreation, has become the lens through which to view his entire artistic project. It sets a course for his future work and the technical and vocational decisions he must make each day." – Dan A. Siedell
"There is a recurring theme of displacement and its subsequent resolution in Fujimura's work ... Nominally, one would think this dislocation would become a potential liability. But here it surges to the surface as one of the greatest assets of this work: candor." – Robert Kushner
"There is a recurring theme of displacement and its subsequent resolution in Fujimura's work ... Nominally, one would think this dislocation would become a potential liability. But here it surges to the surface as one of the greatest assets of this work: candor." – Robert Kushner
"Fujimura's use of materials that alter over time underscores the temporality not just of art but also of nature itself. For Fujimura, the incomplete character of the work of art—its mutability over time, and its failure to instantiate fully what it depicts—is part of the essence of art." – Thomas Hibbs
"Fujimura's use of materials that alter over time underscores the temporality not just of art but also of nature itself. For Fujimura, the incomplete character of the work of art—its mutability over time, and its failure to instantiate fully what it depicts—is part of the essence of art." – Thomas Hibbs

The Monograph

The Golden Sea monograph is a beautiful cloth-bound book, embossed with gold detail reminiscent of Fujimura’s Golden Sea painting. Designed by Darilyn Carnes of Abrams Books, it contains images of Fujimura’s paintings throughout his career. Accompanying the images are essays by Dan Siedell, Kei Tatejima, Robert Kushner, Nick Wolterstorff, Gregory Wolfe, Thomas Hibbs, Julie Hamilton, and Roberta Ahmanson.

The Film

This biographical documentary film made by Plywood Pictures explores Fujimura’s life and how it influenced the evolution of his artwork throughout his career. The film features interviews with Fujimura, as well as his mentor from Tokyo University of the Arts, art historians, gallerists and colleagues. Music for the film was composed by Susie Ibarra and CJ Fujimura. Two other Plywood Pictures documentaries will also be included on the DVD.

THE EXHIBITION

The exhibition toured for roughly two years and was shown at a variety of academic institutions like Yale University Institute of Sacred Music and the Arts, George Fox University, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle University, Acton University, and Baylor University; as well as museums and galleries like Dillon Gallery, Portland Art Museum, and Anchorage Art Museum.