Original sumi ink and watercolor on Arches cold press watercolor paper

On a research trip to Nagasaki, Japan for both Japanese Christian history and art history, I was fascinated by the blend of cultures and the treasures off the common path.

I passed this rusty colorful gate in Nagasaki and saw it as symbolic of the rich history in Nagasaki. Though rust or age can be perceived as negative (and may be, depending on the circumstance), these rainbow colors on this gate, that was originally a light teal blue, would never have existed without the wear of time. While it is decaying, it’s also more beautiful in that worn state, and because of that wear.