I deeply regret that I can’t explore as many blogs as I’d love to right now, for I’m on an exciting journey! My heart swells with hope that everyone enjoys a spectacular and unforgettable August full of adventure and joy!
I urge you to pause for a moment and soak in the exhilarating news that Literary Revelations Publishing House is on the verge of unveiling a breathtaking fine-art photography and poetry album by the incredibly talented Japanese artist Naoki Kimura. This exquisite album, titled LULLASCAPES IN LIGHT AND SHADOW, is destined to become a treasured collector’s gem. Currently, the artist’s solo exhibition is captivating audiences at the Hilton Tokyo Hotel, showcasing many of the stunning works that will grace our album. Stay tuned, for this is just the beginning of the artistic journey that awaits!
Naoki Kimura sent me a photo from ็ฅๅ็ฅญ (Kannamesai) at Ise Grand Shrine, a harvest festival held at the shrine. The festival is a significant event where the first fruits of the year’s harvest are offered to the deities. It’s one of the most important annual festivals in Japan, with roots tracing back to ancient times. The festival is a way to express gratitude to the gods for the bountiful harvest and to pray for continued prosperity.
I added my humble voice and wrote a poem titled Sacredness for the exceptional photo taken by Naoki Kimura.
Sacredness – poem by Gabriela Marie Milton – photo Naoki Kimura
The fire burns sacred, unseen, Silent as unfinished steps between, A path unknown, a whispered quest, I search for hearts I donโt possess.
Who am I in this endless night, A shadow cast without a light? No pulse to claim, no beat to own, Just echoes where a soul is born.
A glimpse of humbleness A quiet bow, A softened breath Of the unknown
The fragrance of new rice, pure and sweet, I kneel where earth and heavens meet, My soul is rising, gentle, deepโ A heart reborn in what I reap.
Between the silence and the song, Unspoken morning, you belongโ A soul awakened by a light, Kannamesaiโs peace on a fall night.
The light is tender, the shadow falls with graceโ delicate, it stirs the ache of beauty. I linger, awaiting the hush of the lull. ใ
NAOKI KIMURA
My dear followers,
I wish you a beautiful weekend filled with love and joy.
LITERARY REVELATIONS’ TEAM is absolutely ecstatic to unveil the stunning cover for our forthcoming album LULLASCAPES IN LIGHT AND SHADOW, crafted by the incredibly talented Japanese artist NAOKI KIMURA. Today, we are filled with excitement to share more about this remarkable album, so letโs dive into the enchanting journey ahead!
THE ALBUM
Trimmed at 8.27 x 11.69 inches, the album is a piece of art for those who love beauty and want to explore Japanese traditional concepts through photography and poetry, presented through the lens and voice of one of the most remarkable Zen Japanese artists.
It’s a collector’s piece.
For those eager to journey deeper into the heart of Japanese culture, there is no more resonant path than one illuminated by the fine art photography and poetry of a preeminent Zen photographer. The album is more than a collection of images or mere wordsโit is an invitation to see with new eyes, to listen with a still mind, and to experience the world as a fleeting, exquisite moment.
RELEASE DATE
We are proud to let you know that we plan to release LULASCAPES IN LIGHT AND SHADOW at the end of August, when Naoki Kimura’s new exhibition will open at the HILTON TOKYO HOTEL. The exhibition will run until October. In honor of the launch, the artist decided to call his exhibition LULASCAPES IN LIGHT AND SHADOW. Our album will be there!
We are delighted to present to you the cover of the album.
NAOKI KIMURA -BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
Naoki Kimura, a fine art photographer and poet, was born in the historic weaving district of Nishijin in Kyoto. In this enclave, centuries-old threads of tradition and artistry are intricately intertwined. Kimuraโs work is shaped by the subtle grandeur of Japanโs ancient heart. This cradle of craftsmanship, with its iridescent silks and quiet courtyards, instilled in him an early reverence for the grace found in both everyday moments and the painstaking work of artisans.
In 1987, driven by a yearning for broader horizons, Kimura embarked on a pilgrimage to the United States. By 1990, the creative current of New York had claimed him. New York became both an anchor and a launching point, enabling him to traverse Europeโs storied landscapes. Naoki Kimuraโs first album emerged as a radiant homage to the Renaissance that once swept across the heart of Europe. Every image, meticulously crafted and deeply evocative, channels the intellectual fervor, aesthetic grandeur, and passionate spirit that defined that transformative era.
Yet, despite the lure of the world, there remained an inexorable pull toward home. In 2017, with the wisdom of years and an ever-deepening artistic vision, he turned his gaze back to Japan, establishing Tokyo as his creative nexus. Here, amid the contrasting rhythms of ancient temples and neon-lit avenues, he embarked on a new chapterโa return not only to his country of birth but to purpose.
At the core of his photographic meditation lies an exploration of mono no awareโthe tender awareness of impermanence and the gentle sorrow that accompanies it. Through his unique sensibility, he distills this concept into what he calls โNagiโ: a profound, resonant calm. It is a stillness that is not emptiness but fullnessโan echo of all that once was and might yet be. Each photograph, whether of a fleeting shadow on stone or the hush before a storm, seeks to capture the tremor that arises when moment and place convergeโa fleeting qualia, the ineffable felt quality of existence itself.
His art is, in essence, the patient recording of these thresholds: the pause where time lingers, suspended in the interplay of light and shadow. Through careful observation, Noaki Kimura makes the invisible manifest; his images invite viewers to inhabit silence, to contemplate the spaces between breath, thought, and sensation.
This singular vision has garnered him a devoted circle of collectors, not only in his native Japan but across the Americas and Europe. To encounter his work is to be reminded of the fragility of beauty, the sweetness of melancholy, and the immense depth that resides within the most unassuming of moments. His photographs are not records of the world, but portals to its soulโeach frame a meditation, each composition an invitation to dwell, if only for an instant, in the presence of stillness.
Naoki Kimuraโs newest album, Lullascapes in Light and Shadow (Literary Revelations, 2025), is a testimony to his exceptional art and a symphony of refinement and restraint. His Japanese art embraces both quiet contemplation and offers the world a vision where the fleeting and the eternal converge.
SOON WE WILL RELEASE A LIST OF NAOKI KIMURA’S EXHIBITIONS.
Art: Bullfightย (Spanish:ย Suerte de Varas) is an 1824 oil painting byย Francisco Goyaย
MATADOR
in Salamancaโs golden square, Where ancient stones remember pain, The crimson sun, the dust- my reign
Red is my dress , the crowd ignitesโ A sea of faces, hope and dread.
The bull, a shadow forged in night.
And you, my matador, in shining thread, The capeโa flick, a whispered prayerโ Red as the roses on the grave. The dance of deathโฆ
Now I scribble words in lonely Sundays, Echoes of bull fights in Salamanca โฆ
REMINDER:
Literary Revelations anthologies, including Hidden in Childhood and Petals of Haiku: An Anthology, alongside Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku, are soaring back to the pinnacle of success in the US. These remarkable works have reclaimed their status as #1 Amazon Bestsellers, with one even capturing the incredible #2 position on the charts!
As a heartfelt token of our deepest gratitude for your unwavering loyalty, and recognizing that some of our beloved authors may not have had the means to purchase our cherished books, we are thrilled to offer all three of these literary treasures completely free for a limited time!
Please take a moment to leave a review, if you can. After all, if you donโt, how will our message reach more people? We canโt exactly send carrier pigeons anymore!
LINKS (E-book versions free)
If the links do not work for you please search for the books on Amazon.
โWith lush language and lavish imagery, Gabriela M. evokes a fantastic world ripe with emotion.โ Christina Schwarz, the author of the New York Times Bestseller โDrowning Ruth.”
Wishing all my amazing followers a truly enchanting weekend filled with magic.
Photo: Naoki Kimura
A poem by Gabriela Marie Milton
Memories, static, a half-formed word. The girlsโ laughter echoing through the hollow chest of a moment in time.
Gone now, my eyes blurred like rain on glass, perhaps I dreamt themโ
Young bodies flickering in the static, their fancy emptied like pockets after a carnival. What did they buy from the pharmacy?
It smells like morphineโ sweet, chemical, a day in life dissolving at the edges.
I look through your eyes at the girlsโ nonexistent presence, shadows in the room, the laughterโ folded into silence.
I think of you. Years inscribed on windows. What did the girls buy from the pharmacy?
Sneak a peek at Naoki Kimura’s upcoming Photo Album from Literary Revelations.
Naoki Kimura, a celebrated artist known for his fine art photography, is set to release a breathtaking new album under the aegis of Literary Revelations. Tentatively scheduled for publication at the end of July, this highly anticipated album promises to be an unparalleled artistic experience and an exquisite addition to any coffee table.
Capturing the Essence of Japanese Sensibility
The album stands as a testament to the profound beauty of Japanese culture through the medium of monochrome photography. It artfully encapsulates cherished aesthetic principles such as โMono no Aware,โ the bittersweet awareness of impermanence; โWabi,โ the understated elegance of simplicity; and โSabi,โ the poetic grace of age and weathering. Each photograph invites viewers into a meditative space, allowing them to perceive the beauty hidden within the fleeting moments of life.
A Fusion of Art and Literature
Beyond its striking visuals, the album harmonizes the photographic artistry with the written word. It contains a rich tapestry of haiku, tanka, free-form poetry, and short prose, each piece carefully curated to complement the visual narrative. This literary inclusion elevates the album into a multidimensional experience, offering not just imagery but profound reflections that resonate deeply with the soul.
An Artistic Treasure for Every Home
Naoki Kimuraโs album is more than a collection of photographsโit’s a piece of art that speaks to the heart. Its pages promise moments of introspection, beauty, and connection, making it the perfect centerpiece for contemplation and conversation. The fusion of visual and literary artistry ensures that this work will leave an indelible mark on all who encounter it.
Prepare to immerse yourself in an extraordinary experience when Naoki Kimuraโs fine art photography arrives this summer. This album promises to be not only a feast for the senses but also a celebration of the timeless essence of Japanese sensibility. Truly, a masterpiece destined to touch hearts and enrich lives.
โWith lush language and lavish imagery, Gabriela M. evokes a fantastic world ripe with emotion.โ Christina Schwarz, the author of the New York Times Bestseller โDrowning Ruth.”
While photography inherently gives the impression of being “real” or “existing in reality,” the essence of monochrome photography lies in creating scenes that do not actually exist. Through this abstraction, the universal characteristics and emotions of the subject are emphasized, bringing out a deeper sense of reality. If color photography can evoke individual emotions and meanings as realism, monochrome photography can be said to enable a universal empathy not influenced by color
Naoki Kimura
Noaki Kimura explored the Renaissance period and produced fantastic work. He paid homage to the beauty of other worlds. Now, he is returning to his Japanese roots to ask the world, “Will you do the same for the beauty of my country?”
Gabriela Marie Milton
Dear Followers
In early July, Literary Revelations is set to unveil a stunning album of fine-art photography by the acclaimed Japanese artist Naoki Kimura. Measuring a refined 8.3 inches wide by 11.7 inches tall, this collection promises to be a visual feast, printed on the best paper that Amazon can offer.
What sets Kimuraโs work apart is his unparalleled mastery of monochrome photography, which exquisitely captures the mesmerizing dance of light and shadowsโtransforming each image into a profound experience. The artist’s extraordinary photographic technique has garnered him countless awards and provided him with the opportunity to showcase his fervent dedication to beauty in art at numerous prestigious international exhibitions.
This upcoming album presents Japan in splendor and includes monoku and other forms of short poetry and prose infused with philosophical content and beauty for each photograph. Readers will gain insight into the art behind Kimuraโs photography as he shares his passion for capturing moments that resonate deeply with viewers.
Naoki Kimura’s previous album on Renaissance themes was met with critical acclaim, and this new work promises to be no less impressive.
Donโt let the chance slip away to immerse yourself in Naoki Kimuraโs breathtaking vision; this isnโt merely an albumโitโs a passionate call to discover beauty through the captivating lens of one of todayโs most gifted Japanese artists.
Noaki Kimura explored the Renaissance period and produced fantastic work. He paid homage to the beauty of other worlds. Now, he is returning to his Japanese roots to ask the world, “Will you do the same for the beauty of my country?”
More news about the structure and construction of this album is coming soon.
My books (Only English) #1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis) #1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)
Thank you to all my followers who reviewed my books. Please read other reviews here:
For five times in twenty-four hours, I face in the direction of the sea.
The first time the morning star floats above the water as innocent as the breast of a young girl. Soon the sun will try to catch her naked and burn her skin. She will escape. Pigeons will carry her across the sea. She will melt into yellow waters. Her last rays will fall in my lap like feathers.
I will rejoice.
The second time, divorced from her night bed, the light disperses itself on the shore. I can see myself washing clothes in the sea. My hair is tied in a ponytail. I am barefoot, and my dress is rolled up. The skin of my lips is cracked. I bleed. The clothes I wash smell cedar and spices. The shadow of a seagull positions itself on my forehead. The sea reflects the twelve signs of the zodiac. I can see no relationship between my destiny and that which I do. I am scared.
At noon, the sun kneads the waters with rapture. Shells shed pearls on the shore. My own rational thought leaves my body. I delight in the waves like a gazelle in the grasslands. I feel the movement of the water on my skin. Its cyclical quality sends me into a state of ecstasy. No, it is not the ecstasy of Saint Teresa of รvila. It is something similar to a soporific trance. I am dead, and I am alive at the same time. I come from the sea. I return to the sea.
In the afternoon, my rational self awakens. My mind spreads its wings. I get preoccupied with verbs. I set one triangle in the normal position, and I invert the other one. I bind them together. I make myself a dress from pieces of paper inscribed with old symbols. Oh, femininity! You are the goddess of vines, the mother earth, the chalice, the blood, the fertility of the womb. I mull over these desperate efforts to equalize the feminine with the masculine. There is nothing in these symbols that points to the intellect of a woman.
In the evening, the sky stretches itself from blue to dark violet. The silk of the gloves hugs my fingers. I feed my iguana with cookies soaked in champagne. She hisses at me. I open a package of silk stockings. The door opens by itself. You step in. I stare at you. You are in by your own volition. One kiss and you borrow my tears. One touch, and I borrow your pain. A passage rite. I keep a coffin adorned with lilies in my bedroom. I sleep besides death like Sarah Bernhardt.
Did you hear that noise? A rosary fell from the Spanish chest.
The wind slips between the petals of a rose and opens it.
Who am I? If I knew, I would tell you.
Did you say you love me? The twenty-four hours are up. Nobody is facing in the direction of the sea anymore.
There is no me.
NEWS
Now, more news about Literary Revelations and Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku.
As I write, Tranquility is currently the #1 top release in the US and the most gifted book in Japan.
Literary Revelations is deeply grateful to everyone who bought the book. That helped us to donate to several charities.
You can get the book here:
Literary Revelations and Victoria Onofrei of Bloomsbury Radio (Victoria in Verse Show), UK, will organize a Poetry Festival on Sunday, May 18, 2025 – 5pm London time. The festival will take place via Zoom.
All contributors will be invited, as well as, those who are not contributors but bought the book.
I will come back very soon with more details. Please follow us at Literary Revelations https://literaryrevelations.com/, @gabriela_marie_milton and @lr_publishers.
Thank you,
My books (Only English) #1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis) #1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)
Thank you to all my followers who reviewed my books. Please read other reviews here:
An outstanding and dazzling book filled with magic! Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku, published by Literary Revelations.
Immerse yourselves in its charm.
Get it for Mother’s Day!
An outstanding and dazzling book!
Literary Revelations and Victoria Onofrei of Bloomsbury Radio (Victoria in Verse Show), UK, will organize a Poetry Festival on Sunday, May 18, 2025 – 5pm London time. The festival will take place via Zoom.
All contributors will be invited, as well as, those who are not contributors but bought the book.
I will come back very soon with more details. Please follow us at Literary Revelations https://literaryrevelations.com/, @gabriela_marie_milton and @lr_publishers.
Thank you and have a wonderful week!
My books (Only English) #1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis) #1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)
Thank you to all my followers who reviewed my books. Please read other reviews here:
Literary Revelations is thrilled to let you know that Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku is now the #1 Bestseller on Amazon [Japanese and Haiku Poetry]
Congratulations from the bottom of my heart to all contributors, and thank you to all our followers.
The dedication you show us keeps us going.
If you look at the books we took over, it’s astonishing.
Margaret AtWood who “has won numerous awards and honors for her writing, including two Booker Prizes, the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Governor General’s Award, the Franz Kafka Prize, Princess of Asturias Awards, and the National Book Critics and PEN Center USA Lifetime Achievement Awards. A number of her works have been adapted for film and television.” see Wikipedia
and Basho: The Complete Haiku of Matsuo Basho – Basho stands today as Japanโs most renowned writer, and one of the most revered. Wherever Japanese literature, poetry or Zen are studied, his oeuvre carries weight. Every new student of haiku quickly learns that Basho was the greatest of the Old Japanese Masters [Amazon description].
We take our accomplishments seriously, and we are thrilled and humbled by them.
Literary Revelations is delighted to inform you that Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku is now available on Amazon. It was our utmost pleasure to publish everyone’s work. Thank you for your contribution, and please help us spread the word.
Or you can get it here:
I’ve attached a flyer for you to use. However, please do not use it without the Amazon link, which is most important.
Congratulations everyone!
Have a great weekend!
My books (Only English) #1 Amazon bestseller, Passions: Love Poems and Other Writings (Vita Brevis) #1 Amazon Bestseller, Women: Splendor and Sorrow (Vita Brevis)
Thank you to all my followers who reviewed my books. Please read other reviews here:
