BuBu de la Madeleine
Pink is the color of the Japanese crested ibis_002, 2025
Acrylic on canvas
41 x 27.3 cm
‘Why do we call it “pink”?’ -Despite the presence of native colour names like cherry blossom colour (sakura-iro・桜色) and peach colour (momo-iro・桃色), the foreign word ‘pink’ dominates everyday usage in Japan....
‘Why do we call it “pink”?’ -Despite the presence of native colour names like cherry blossom colour (sakura-iro・桜色) and peach colour (momo-iro・桃色), the foreign word ‘pink’ dominates everyday usage in Japan. This question led BuBu to focus on the Japanese crested ibis (toki) in her new work, whose feathers display a striking hue. BuBu has observed treasures that traveled the Silk Road since childhood through the Shōsō-in repository in Nara, where she is based. The history of pigments and dyes is also the history of cultural exchange between East and West. Among these, BuBu is deeply interested in the cultural history embedded in colour names. The crested ibis, once nearly extinct but now recovering through conservation efforts in China and Japan, also invites reflection on the evolving relationship between humans and animals.