"May I Come Out Now? - Mou Iikai?" By Juuri

This gorgeous piece titled "May I Come Out Now? - Mou Iikai?" is by Juuri (Julie Robertson).


When I first saw Juuri post this piece for her Japanese Festival Art Exhibition at Mainsite Gallery I immediately loved the piece but was sure that it would sell. Well a few days after the exhibition she posted the pieces that were still available and "May I Come Out Now?" just so happened to be one of them. I tried my hardest to resist sending Juuri an email about the piece but the temptation was just too strong. I had to have the piece so I contacted her and was able to land this beauty. I am thrilled to have another fantastic piece by Juuri. I just love her art so much.




To top it all off Juuri had even written a poem to go along with the piece. This was the first piece that she had written a poem before she started working on the piece. She said " In this poem, I wanted to express the sinking feeling that comes from knowing I ended a precious friendship(s). I don't know if I'll ever be able to surface again, if the friendship will ever be mended, or if I'll have to stay in hiding; ignoring this person(s) forever. Also, "mou iikai" is the chant that kids say in Japan when they are playing hide-and-seek. It's like "Are you ready yet?" In this poem, I wanted to ask, "Are we finished being angry with each other? Mou iikai? Is it enough yet?"".


Ever hidden, ever concealed, motionless.
Sounding! Two fathoms.
Sounding! Thirteen fathoms.
Sounding! Twenty fathoms.
Entangled, surrounded, barely breathing.
In a sepulcher of one’s own making.
Deluded, not by a mirage of water,
For water is the mirage.
Will it come to an end?
Are enemies eternal?
May I come out now?
- JUURI




Size 18x24 on wood panel.