A Pixel Wonderland
Nestled in Chino City, Mishaka-ike, or Mishaka Pond, is one of Nagano's hidden natural jewels and has served as inspiration to many artists over the years. The mirror-like qualities of the crystal clear waters inspired Japanese painter Kaii Higashiyama to immortalize the landscape in Midori Hibiku (1972).
In this iteration, artist Tatsuo Horiuchi paints in Microsoft Excel to perfectly recreate the picturesque pond and its recognizable reflective qualities. A woman in kimono with a sun umbrella creates a stunning contrast to the lush greenery.
Details
- Artist: Tatsuo Horiuchi (堀内辰男)
- Dimensions: 20" x 23" (paper) 16" x 22.5" (image size)
- Digitally printed on heavyweight Fuji matte paper
- Numbered limited edition of 50
Meet the artist: “I never used Excel at work but I saw other people making pretty graphs and thought, ‘I could probably draw with that,’” says 76-year old Tatsuo Horiuchi. About 14 years ago, shortly before retiring, Horiuchi decide he needed a new challenge in his life. So he bought a computer and began experimenting with Excel. “Graphics software is expensive but Excel comes pre-installed in most computers,” explained Horiuchi. “And it has more functions and is easier to use than Microsoft Paint.”
