Emiko Aida’s “Reverie in the Sky” (2009) offers an intimate, atmospheric interpretation through etching. (photo courtesy of Descanso Gardens)

Descanso Gardens presents “Sound of Water: Feminine Expressions of Fluidity,” a group exhibition of works by contemporary Japanese women artists in the Sturt Haaga Gallery.

The exhibition, which is curated by Japanese art historian Meher McArthur and commemorates the 60th anniversary of Descanso’s Japanese Garden, explores water as a source of serenity and a force of disruption. Japan’s identity as an island nation has long shaped its relationship with water – abundant, life-sustaining and at times destructive. The duality runs throughout the exhibition where water appears as shifting weather, reflective surface, meditative sound and an increasingly urgent presence in an era of climate change.

Bringing together six artists based in Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom – Mineko Grimmer, Yumiko Glover, Miya Ando, Emiko Aida, Yuko Kimura and Ayomi Yoshida – the exhibition highlights a distinctly nuanced approach. While water has been a central theme in Japanese art for centuries, the artists explore it through a quieter, more contemplative lens focusing on subtle movement, material transformation and emotional resonance.

“Descanso’s Japanese Garden is grounded in the sensory experience of water – its movement, its stillness and even its sound,” said Marina Erfle, director of education and exhibitions. “This exhibition is a natural fit for the Gardens, extending that experience into the gallery and inviting visitors to consider how water shapes not just landscapes, but memory, emotion and cultural identity.”

“As Descanso celebrates the 60th anniversary of its Japanese Garden, this exhibition offers a meaningful way to reflect on water’s enduring role in Japanese culture and artistic practice,” McArthur said.

The exhibition runs through Jan. 3. Daily hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Entry to the Sturt Haaga Gallery is included in Descanso Gardens’ $18 adult admission, and with membership. Descanso Gardens is located at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. For information, call (818)949-4200, or visit descansogardens.org.