Black Robe, White Mist: Art of the Japanese Buddhist Nun Rengetsu

Rengetsu (1791-1875), whose name translates as Lotus Moon, was a Japanese Buddhist nun whose tragic life inspired extraordinary creativity. One of a very few successful female artists in nineteenth-century Japan, Rengetsu was primarily a poet and calligrapher, but also excelled in pottery and scroll painting. Her idiosyncratic personal aesthetic attracted an enormous following in her own lifetime and was imitated by many of her admirers.

Black Robe, White Mist presents contemplative works on paper and clay inscribed with Rengetsu's elegant poetry and understated calligraphy, reflecting the beauty of the imperfect and unconventional. A number of distinguished contributors share their knowledge of and enthusiasm for Rengetsu's poetry and art.

Melanie Eastburn is assistant curator of Asian art at the National Gallery of Australia. Other contributors include Chiaki Ajioka, Lucie Folan, Patricia J. Graham, Robyn Maxwell, Meher McArthur, Sandra Sheckter, John Stevens, and Saymi Takahashi.