Eternal Peaks
Provided one braves the rugged terrain and unpredictable weather, the mountains are a very fertile subject for photographers. The compositions of Michael Kenna eloquently testify to this, particularly those made since 2007 in the Huang Mountains (Huangshan) in eastern China. The fantastic silhouettes of granite peaks rising from an ocean of clouds echo the tradition of celebrating “mountains and waters” (shanshui) practiced by poets and later by Chinese Literati painters since the 4th century.

Venerable Trees
The numerous photographs of trees in the work of Michael Kenna illustrate the affection that the photographer has for them, considering some as old friends whose portraits he would redo regularly. The geometric and tonal balance of these compositions pays tribute to the infinite variety of shapes adopted by these charismatic subjects. Such respect, for both centenary trees and the most optimistic young shoots, enters into dialogue with certain masterpieces of Japanese printmaking from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Musée national des arts asiatiques
Commissariat de l’exposition
Edouard de Saint-Ours, Curator of photographic collections, Guimet Museum, Paris

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