Project page

The Fifth Season

To start the story, I would like bring the poem "The Fifth Season" written by C. A. Schlea, which may present the main idea much better than any effort of eloquent narration.

In the spring of life, in the flower of youth, everything is bright and new.

In the summer of life, time of growth and change, each day brings new dreams to pursue.

In the autumn of life, there's a settling down. Contentment and sureness in what we do.

In the winter of life, comes peace and wisdom, time to relax and reminisce, too.

But with the passing of these seasons, life is still not done, not through, for there is yet another season, when each spirit is renewed.

And it is in this calm fifth season, in this hopeful second spring, a time of cleansing and rebirth, a time of new awakening.

Each person's life will come full circle, even as the seasons do, to start another, different life, much better than the one we knew.

The Fifth Season is the season of change. The time when the blossoming of spring, summer, autumn and winter meet to make a full circle of life. In many cultures, the fifth season is an unpleasant time of monsoon, severe winds and nasty weather, which particularly in Japan meet the most acceptance being an inevitable period of the year, which all in all ends and brings rebirth. The fifth season teaches acceptance and perseverance, rewarding with hope and after - a wonderful flowering.

As a means of the visual story, I chose Nuido silk embroidery, which appeared quite a challenging technique to try my hand on. I assembled the design bringing in one piece the symbolic flowers particular to each season in Japan and traditional symbols of the life cycle, connection and flow.

The embroidery is made with silk, on silk organza, stabilised with paper.