Flirting Waves (Nami no Tawamure)

Part of Iwami's sustained investigation into water as both subject and formal problem, this print renders the interplay of wave surfaces through deep embossing that gives the composition a pronounced tactile relief. The title's word tawamure — play or flirtation — points toward a light, kinetic quality rather than turbulent force: the waves here suggest the gentle collision and withdrawal of small swells rather than ocean drama. Iwami likely built the image through multiple carved blocks, using the embossing to create shadow and highlight without ink, allowing the washi paper itself to carry light differently across its raised planes. Metallic or mica elements may contribute to the shimmering quality typical of her water works. The composition is almost certainly non-representational in the strict sense, reducing wave forms to arcing volumes and curved ridges that read as abstract sculpture pressed flat.