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Through July 18th, I am showcasing a group of 25 woodblock prints and print folios by a group of 18 artists who were part of the modern Japanese print movement known as sosaku hanga, or the 'creative print' movement. The sosaku hanga movement started in the very early years of the 20th century. Sosaku hanga artists rejected the techniques and prescribed content of traditional ukiyo-e prints. They were interested in exploring their own individual artistic expression rather than following in the footsteps of a teacher, or catering to the commercial motivations ukiyo-e publishers. These artists instead, looked around, and took subjects from their surroundings: a view out a kitchen window, a pet cat, or these peaches.
These artists also believed that everyone could be a printmaker - and in the beginning years, it seemed everyone was. Encouraged by each other, or a bona fide artist-friend (often a painter-turned-printmaker), or even by the general wave of interest in 'individualism' sweeping through Japanese society at the time, hundreds of neophyte printmakers tried their hand at carving and printing. Some produced only a handful of images. For others it was the beginning of decades-long printmaking careers.
This period, particularly sosaku hanga produced before WWII, I am finding to be one of my favorite periods and styles. 
I like it because of its emphasis on urban life, and the glimpse it gives into an emerging Japanese modern graphic style. I also love the challenge of tracking down some of these obscure artists, or finding early work by artists who are better known for their later prints. Truth be told, there are some bad sosaku hanga; when everyone thinks that they are an artist, there are bound to be some dogs in the final heap. But there are also so many fine prints that emerged from this period. I've enjoyed pulling together what I hope you will think is a good group. You can see the whole show here.
prints illustrated top to bottom: Peaches, 1925, by Tomoo Inagaki (1902-1980); Mars, 1968 & Morning of New Year's Day, Ginza, 1958, both by Toshi Yoshida (1911-1995)
A big thanks to all who made it to the Gallery Thursday night. Watching Ryohei cut on-the-spot portraits and answer questions was a lot of fun. I appreciate all your support! A few follow up things:
If you haven't found it on your own, here is a link to Ryohei's own website. His painting and illustration work is not to miss. Also, for those in Los Angeles, through May 2nd, you can see more of Ryohei's paper cuts in the 9-artist group show, PaperShapers (at Scion Space (3521 Helms Ave, Culver City, CA 90232). More info about that show at www.scion.com/space.
If you were there Thursday, you may have also met Rob Sato, a friend of Ryohei's, who is an amazing artist and illustrator himself. Check out his work & see a schedule of his upcoming shows at http://www.robsato.com/index.html.
Thanks again for your support!
My exhibit of paper cuts, Panic Attack(!) (Don't Panic): Paper Cuts by Ryohei Tanaka, continues at Cullom Gallery through May 30, 2009, but tonight is a special treat: Ryohei is in Seattle and snipping away in the gallery until 7:30 tonight. I met Ryohei while browsing an online group show at Giant Robot Gallery in San Francisco last year. I was delighted by what I saw as a mixture of old and new in his paper cuts. Clearly urban, youth oriented content done using a very traditonal medium of Japanese art/craft called kiri-e, or cut pictures.
The exhibit features 57 new works. Tanaka’s intricate, hand-cut paper cuts are cut into both unaltered white paper and papers prepared with spattered colored pigments. Like the stuff of dreams or a drug trip, their intertwined elements bounce from caricatures of Tokyo "types:" the school girl, the jug-headed Yakuza, the anime geek, to images of urban malaise and economic anxiety, to titillating riffs on sex, drugs, love, and violence.
For over twenty years, Ryohei Tanaka has been spinning his own version of the traditional art of hand-cut Japanese paper cut designs known as kiri-e, which date back to the early 17th century. What started as a solitary childhood game of paper heroes vs. paper villains (born of, and then snipped to pieces by the same genius boy and his scissors) has grown to wide-spread recognition for the artist in Japan and the West. Tanaka’s paper cuts have been shown in numerous solo and group exhibits in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and multiple Tokyo venues.
If you're in Seattle tonight, come on down!
Cullom Gallery
313 Occidental Ave S
Seattle, WA 98104
P: 206-919-8278
www.cullomgallery.com
Fresh from my Inbox, is this mention of what looks to be an incredible up-coming show of woodblock prints by ukiyo-e master, Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797-1861).
"LONDON - The Royal Academy of Arts will present an exhibition on one of the greatest Japanese print artists, Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797 – 1861). Featuring over 150 works, the exhibition will present Kuniyoshi as a master of imaginative design. It will reveal the graphic power and beauty of his prints across an unprecedented range of subjects highlighting his ingenuous use of the triptych format. The majority of the exhibition will be drawn from the outstanding collection of Professor Arthur R. Miller which has recently been donated to the American Friends of the British Museum. This is the first major exhibition in the United Kingdom on Utagawa Kuniyoshi since 1961, on view 21 March through 7 June, 2009." (photo caption - "Sakata Kaido-maru wrestles with a giant carp" c. 1837...American Friends of the British Museum (The Arthur R. Miller Collection) More information at the Royal Academy and Art Knowledge News.
I'm so pleased with my new winter exhibit at Cullom Gallery of Japanese woodblock prints by Berlin artist, Eva Pietzcker. This show of 17 color and black and white landscape prints (and one delightfully domestic still life of apples and geraniums) will open tomorrow night, February 5th, with a preview from 6 - 8 pm. If you are in Seattle, please come down and see Eva's prints in person!
With the new year, I'll be adding several additional contemporary artists to the mix at Cullom Gallery. As I've mentioned here before, I am keen to show my audience, though my exhibits and general offerings, artistic links from the present back to the olden days of Japanese prints and from the old back to the present and everything in between.
In Eva's prints, I see an exciting buzz between traditions of composition found in ukiyo-e landscape prints (and as a client suggested last week, maybe Huan Dynasty landscape painting?) and Eva's own modern and minimal, sometimes stylized, approach to landscape.
This group of prints covers the years 2003 to the present and includes prints produced during the artist's residencies in Japan and Canada, along with scenes of her own Berlin. (Pietzcker also spent some time in China on an independent study of traditional Chinese paper making techniques and in Indonesia for an artist's residency - both trips inspiring additional print designs.)
In a statement for Toronto's Open Studio's webiste, Eva wrote, "I try to omit 'unimportant' parts and to reveal the essences while reducing information- without killing off the vibrancy of the work. I try to achieve that by oscillating between simplicity and complexity, black-and-white and colour, abstraction and narration."
In 2001, she established the printmaking studio "drucktelle" with partner Miriam Zegrer (the studio has just recently closed) for the purpose of research into and teaching courses on printmaking techniques, with the aim of using non-toxic material as much as possible. Pietzcker continues teaching printmaking courses independently and at several art academies in Germany. Her prints have been shown in solo and group exhibits throughout Germany, the United States, Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Poland, Canada, Japan, and Indonesia. Most recently in 2008 she was part of the California Society of Printmaker's exhibit in Pacific Grove, CA, (she's been a member since 2006); and exhibited as a member of the artist group ' Nagasawa Ten' in the exhibit, "A Time and a Place" which traveled to both Amsterdam's Grafisch Atelier, and Deco Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia. In 2007, Pietzcker served as visiting artist at Open Studio, Toronto, Canada, and at The Print Studio, Hamilton Canada. In 2003 and 2004 Pietzcker was Artist-in-Residence at Nagasawa Art Park, Japan and Tsuna-Cho, Japan, respectively.
The show will be featured in a special online exhibit (by tomorrow afternoon) one the gallery's website at www.cullomgallery.com. The exhibit will continue on the gallery walls through March 30, but hopefully, Eva's prints will become a perennial offering at this gallery!
Through July 18th, I am showcasing a group of 25 woodblock prints and print folios by a group of 18 artists who were part of the modern Japanese print movement known as sosaku hanga, or the 'creative print' movement. The sosaku hanga movement started in the very early years of the 20th century. Sosaku hanga artists rejected the techniques and prescribed content of traditional ukiyo-e prints. They were interested in exploring their own individual artistic expression rather than following in the footsteps of a teacher, or catering to the commercial motivations ukiyo-e publishers. These artists instead, looked around, and took subjects from their surroundings: a view out a kitchen window, a pet cat, or these peaches.
These artists also believed that everyone could be a printmaker - and in the beginning years, it seemed everyone was. Encouraged by each other, or a bona fide artist-friend (often a painter-turned-printmaker), or even by the general wave of interest in 'individualism' sweeping through Japanese society at the time, hundreds of neophyte printmakers tried their hand at carving and printing. Some produced only a handful of images. For others it was the beginning of decades-long printmaking careers.
I like it because of its emphasis on urban life, and the glimpse it gives into an emerging Japanese modern graphic style. I also love the challenge of tracking down some of these obscure artists, or finding early work by artists who are better known for their later prints. Truth be told, there are some bad sosaku hanga; when everyone thinks that they are an artist, there are bound to be some dogs in the final heap. But there are also so many fine prints that emerged from this period. I've enjoyed pulling together what I hope you will think is a good group. You can see the whole show here.
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