An Artist Of The Floating World
by Kazuo Ishiguro
Award: Nobel Prize Winner 1986
Nomination: Booker Finalist 1986
Date Read: October 24, 2021
Ono, an officially retired painter, is middle-aged and has renounced the work he has produced over the course of his career. Although relatively well-known in the art world, he still craves attention and appreciation for his contributions over the years. The question remains, what drove Ono to put down his brushes at such an early age? We learn there is no single reason but a multitude of reasons, each of which show the character of Ono.
Put off by his student’s blind submission to his instruction and a tendency to copy his style rather than develop their own, Ono cannot abide the inherent submission that teaching produces. Ono, in his early years was guilty of this as well and chastised by his teacher for leaving his instruction to work on his own style. Further, Ono was afraid his art could be co-opted into propaganda, something he had seen happen to his colleague’s work. Finally, the mental toll of prewar anti-humane sentiment surrounding him stripped Ono of his ability to create.
In trying to determine the point of this book, aside from Ishiguro’s outstanding prose, it became clear that the satisfaction and happiness Ono experiences in reminiscing about his career is because he was willing to risk his reputation and future in order “…to rise above the mediocre.” Ono is one of the artists depicted here that was able to create in an honest and satisfying way, adhering to his own principals and style.
I am a huge admirer of Ishiguro, however, I felt this a bit rigid (maybe because it’s set in Japan, which can be a somewhat rigid culture?) and I enjoyed reading about this character, my heart was not engaged in caring about him or feeling for his challenges. I’m still a fan but I don’t believe this is one of his best.
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