The Firebird

A hanging scroll mounted with pale cream silk borders and two gold-patterned fabric bands framing the central panel. The sumi-ink composition consists of loose, dark abstract clusters of ink strokes and speckled washes on white paper, arranged as two separate masses of marks, one above the other, against large areas of empty space; no figures or defined landscape elements are visible. Wooden roller ends are visible at the bottom, and the scroll hangs from a cord at the top. *The Firebird*, by Cyoko Tamai, 2018, Japanese paper and sumi ink.