Nishikigoi

The Nishikigoi series is inspired by an old Chinese waterfall legend and Japanese printmakers like Hokusai and Hiroshige. According to the legend a huge school of koi (Nishikigoi) were swimming upstream the Yellow River, gaining strength fighting the current. When they reached a waterfall, many of the koi turned around to go with the flow. The remaining koi refused to give up. Leaping from the depths of the river they attempted to reach the top of the waterfall. Their efforts caught the attention of demons, who mocked their efforts and heightened the waterfall out of malice. One koi finally reached the top of the waterfall. The gods recognized the koi for its perseverance and turned it into a dragon making the waterfall its playground. The Nishikigoi series is hand printed as photogravure on Japanese rice paper.