A Moon Sixteen Days Old

The moon sixteen days past full — slightly waning, still brilliant, carrying that particular quality of light that comes when the moon is just past its peak — illuminates one of Nishijima's characteristic townscapes with a nocturnal luminosity that transforms familiar forms. The traditional architecture of rooftiles and wooden walls absorbs and reflects moonlight differently than daylight, creating a palette of deep blues and silver-greys punctuated by the warm glow of interior lights glimpsed through paper screens. Nishijima's moonlight prints demonstrate his sensitivity to the specific quality of nocturnal illumination and its power to render the familiar mysterious.