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Hyperallergic published “Six Persimmons,” an excerpt from art critic Will Heinrich’s book From Darkness to Darkness, due from Thousand Horsemen Press in summer 2026. The chapter follows a critic named Jonah as he travels to San Francisco to see a rare Chinese ink painting attributed to 13th-century artist Muqi Fachang; the supplied excerpt does not include the full visit or the book’s complete publication details.
Hyperallergic has published “Six Persimmons,” a chapter excerpt from art critic Will Heinrich’s forthcoming book From Darkness to Darkness, due from Thousand Horsemen Press in summer 2026. The chapter follows a critic named Jonah as he travels to San Francisco to see a celebrated Chinese ink painting attributed to Muqi Fachang, a rare work whose brief museum presentation prompts reflections on work, family and memory.
The excerpt begins with Jonah, an art critic and father, preparing to cover a painting exhibition at San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum. He has included the show in a fall museum preview and asks his editor to assign him a review. The editor agrees in principle but says the art section has no travel budget, citing the expense of covering the war in Ukraine. Jonah decides to make the trip anyway, using credit card points to buy a low-cost flight and arranging to stay with his cousin.
The painting is identified as Six Persimmons, attributed to Muqi Fachang, a Chinese artist active in the 13th century. According to the excerpt, the work was held by a Japanese monastery, which acquired it when it was nearly 300 years old and kept it mostly rolled up and out of view from the early 16th century onward. It was making a brief visit to the Asian Art Museum. Jonah’s father tells him he had long hoped to see the work but had never been in Kyoto at the right time.
Heinrich’s narrative emphasizes the ordinary details surrounding the trip rather than presenting it as a conventional art assignment: the flight delay, the visit with a cousin he has not seen in years, and Jonah’s sense that traveling alone has become an unfamiliar experience. The supplied material ends before describing his encounter with the painting or giving the critic’s full assessment. The excerpt is presented as a chapter from Heinrich’s book, not as a complete review of the exhibition.
A Painting at the Center of a Personal Essay
The development is a literary publication tied to a specific work of art, rather than news of a new attribution, sale or museum acquisition. Heinrich uses Jonah’s journey to connect a rare opportunity to see Six Persimmons with a critic’s changing relationship to travel, family life and his own work. That framing may interest readers looking for both an account of the painting and a personal narrative about encountering art.
The painting’s temporary presentation also gives the chapter a particular urgency: the excerpt describes the museum appearance as brief and the work as one rarely seen outside the monastery that held it. For readers, the piece offers a record of how one critic approached that opportunity. The excerpt alone, however, does not establish the exhibition’s dates, visitor numbers or the painting’s current location, and it should not be treated as a full account of the museum show.
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From Monastery Collection to Museum Visit
The excerpt says the painting had been kept mostly rolled up and hidden away at a Japanese monastery since the early 1500s. It describes the work as coming from that monastery for a short presentation at San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum. The source does not name the monastery or give details about the loan agreement, conservation work or exhibition schedule.
Hyperallergic’s editor’s note identifies the text as a chapter titled “Six Persimmons” from From Darkness to Darkness, published by Thousand Horsemen Press. The excerpt was made available with permission, and the note says the book is expected in summer 2026, both online and through independent booksellers. The narrative’s lead character is Jonah; the source identifies Heinrich as the author but does not say that Jonah is the author or a direct portrait of him.
The Exhibition and Painting Details
The supplied excerpt does not state the exhibition’s dates, how long the painting was on view, or whether the presentation has ended. It also does not name the Japanese monastery, specify the painting’s loan conditions or explain what conservation measures were taken before it traveled. The artwork is described as attributed to Muqi Fachang; the material provides no further discussion of that attribution.
The excerpt ends during Jonah’s visit to San Francisco, before the narrative reports his response to seeing the painting. It is not clear from the supplied material whether the chapter later includes a formal evaluation of the work or focuses chiefly on the critic’s personal history. No independent confirmation or additional information about the book’s final contents is included.
Heinrich’s Book Is Due in Summer
From Darkness to Darkness is scheduled for publication in summer 2026 by Thousand Horsemen Press, with online availability and sales through independent booksellers, according to Hyperallergic’s editor’s note. Readers seeking the full chapter will need to consult the book when it is released; the published excerpt does not provide a complete account of Jonah’s museum visit.
Further information about the book’s exact publication date, format and distribution was not supplied. The source also gives no indication of whether the Asian Art Museum plans a future presentation of Six Persimmons, so the painting’s next public showing is unknown.
Key Questions
What is “The Zen Mona Lisa” about?
Hyperallergic’s article presents “Six Persimmons,” a chapter from Will Heinrich’s forthcoming book. It follows a critic named Jonah as he travels to San Francisco to see a celebrated Chinese ink painting and reflects on his work and personal life.
Who made Six Persimmons?
The painting is attributed to Muqi Fachang, a Chinese artist active in the 13th century. The source excerpt does not provide more detail about the attribution.
Where was the painting being shown?
The excerpt says Six Persimmons was making a brief visit to the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. It does not give the exhibition dates or confirm whether the painting is still on view.
When is From Darkness to Darkness coming out?
Hyperallergic’s editor’s note says Thousand Horsemen Press planned to publish the book in summer 2026, online and through independent booksellers. No exact release date is given.
Source: hyperallergic.com
