The Japanese word “unkai” translates into “sea of clouds.” Painted with ink on metal, this work is part of an ongoing series in which Miya Ando articulates the ephemeral, transient experience of watching clouds at night as they cover and uncover the light of the moon. The title illustrates the exact time and date that Ando observed the clouds on which this particular painting is based. The Japanese word Mugetsu, meaning invisible moon, hints at another idea that supports the series—that of the simultaneous ethereality and reliable return of the phases of the moon. The brightest full moon of the lunar calendar comes on the 15th day of the 8th month. Mugetsu specifically describes the experience of clouds obscuring the moon on that particular night. A practicing Buddhist, Ando mobilizes natural phenomena such as clouds and light to express the idea of impermanence. Even though the moon is not visible in this painting, its presence is an essential part of the work. Miya paints these works on metal surfaces as a way of juxtaposing the ephemerality of the subject matter with the durability of metal. Ando also appreciates the ability of the metal surface to reflect light differently under changing conditions.