Michael Kenna: Rock Formations
Michael Kenna photographed ‘Rock Formations, Study 4’ (2023) in Yoichi, a small coastal town on the Northern part of the Japanese island of Hokkaido. After twenty years, Kenna returned to this precise location to capture his fourth study of the Rock Formations that can be spotted off the shore.
In Shintoism, rocks (‘Iwa’) that stand in close proximity to Shinto shrines are also worshipped, as they are believed to harbour spirits. This rock in the sea is known as Daikoku Iwa, named after the Shinto God, Daikoku (the god of wealth).
The use of high contrast and dark, inky shadows recalls Bill Brandt—a photographer cited as one of Kenna’s greatest inspirations. “Brandt showed me that beauty is very much in the mind of the beholder”, says Kenna. “As well as his sense of drama and use of atmosphere, Brandt taught me the value of empty space in a print.” In ‘Rock Formations, Study 4’, there is a consistent balance between drama and peace, dark and light. Kenna implies gravity in something un-seen, an unknown presence.
This photograph is available as a signed silver gelatin print in a limited edition of 25. For more information, get in touch at hello@solldn.com.
FeaturedMichael Kenna
The ArtistMichael Kenna is one of the most acclaimed landscape photographers of his generation. His photographs have been the subject of some 50 monographs and are held in the collections of over 100 museums worldwide.
