A floral version of Hokusai's "The Great Wave" has been created in Brussels
A large-scale floral carpet inspired by the Japanese woodblock print "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" by artist Katsushika Hokusai has been created on Brussels' Grand Place. According to Euronews, the installation used about 500,000 dahlias, which were arranged across 1,300 square meters of cobblestones.
On the morning of August 13, volunteers laid out the flowers by hand following a numbered pattern. Each color corresponded to a specific number to ensure the pattern was reproduced exactly. Visitors to the square watched the work in progress, and Takeshi Osuga, Japan’s ambassador to Belgium, joined the volunteers and helped lay out the flowers. The event was supported by Japanese sponsors.
Read more breaking news on the UA.News Telegram channel.
The carpet, 70 meters long and 24 meters wide, is part of the 24th edition of Flower Carpet, which takes place every two years. This year’s composition is dedicated to the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Belgium and Japan. It combines Belgian and Japanese cultural traditions.
The design was created by Japanese artist Hiro Sugiyama together with his team, Enlightenment. They named the work “Neo-Hokusai”—a modern reinterpretation of the famous woodblock print. The installation will remain on the Grand Place until Sunday, August 16; a light and sound show will take place there every evening from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
