Earthscapture introduces a new art, expressed through nature, that is familiar and ethereal at the same time. Setsou Ito's fascination with the natural beauty of the American Southwest, the
philosophy of Native Americans, and his own Japanese culture is expressed in what he calls Earthscapture, a series of visual meditations on his experiences during three decades of travel
through the region. Earthscapture presents thirty-eight individual pieces in the eleven series of works that constitute this exploration of form and memory.
While Ito's sculpture appears to depict specific locales, combining such materials as sandstone, mortar, plastic resin, seashells and stones with incredible insight and skillful mastery, each
piece is purely an artistic vision, commenting on the world rather than reproducing it. It is the artist's intent to let each work of art assume a life of its own without explanation, making a
unique impression on the viewer, who then retains an image that can be summoned and transformed at will. The only hint, if any, is the title of a piece, such as Near and Far.
Some 116 stunning, full-color images by photographer Lou Manna and an appreciative essay by journalist Roger Yee present Ito's vision in all its wonder and mystery. The 172-page book is also
enriched by passages of Ito's own writings on art and a foreword by his friend and Native American activist Russell Means.
