JAPAN DREAMING

A Selection of Ten Paintings

Jill Mellick

Jung Journal: Culture and Psyche
University of California Press

Fall 2011, Volume 5, No. 4, Front and Back Covers and Pages 100-108

Features a selection of paintings from the series, "Japan Dreaming" In December 2010 and January 2011, floods devastated 70 towns and displaced 200,000 people in Queensland, Australia. In March, 2011, a 9.0 earthquake, tsunami, and radiation devastated Northern Japan, left 20,000 dead or missing and displaced 430,000 people. Shortly thereafter, Jill Mellick, an Australian and frequent visitor to Japan, dreamt of shredded, faded hangings evocative of kakemono (scrolls), noren (fabric space dividers), shide (paper streamers), kimono, and forms resembling torii (shrine gates marking entry into sacred space). She explored the dream through mixed media constructions. Their title, “Japan Dreaming,” alludes to the Australian Aboriginal Dreaming. As Mellick followed the artwork’s evolution, she also recognized resonance with her recent experiences of life-threatening illnesses and their aftermath.