Kamigamo Shrine (C-136)

These two white sand cones called tatezuna represent the divine mountains from which the deity of this shrine descended. These forms are said to be the origin of purifying sand, as well as the custom of placing mori-shio (small cones of salt) at the entrance of stores and homes.  These sacred “mountains” appear massive in this image, but in reality, they are rather small. William has arranged cones so that they echo the lines of the shrine roofs in the background. Our eyes can move freely between the foreground and the background as if we are air. By giving most of the space over to the color white, and showing the two mounds as larger than life along with the white panels of the shrine in the background, William emphasizes purification and peace.