Mokuhanga is the japanese word for printing, using the water-based
wood block technique developed during the Edo period. Moku means
wood and hanga can be translated as printing. Here in Europe, prints
from the Edo period are widely known from the artists Hokusai and Hiroshige. Hokusai’s works include “ The Great Wave At Kanagawa” (from a series of thirty-six views of Mount Fuji) and Hiroshige masterfully
captured beautiful landscapes. Further examples, from the same period,
include the prints of actors and beautiful women, known as wood block prints of the “Floating World” or the Ukiyo-e.
My enduring love of mokuhanga began in the year of 2000 when I got the
unique chance to take part in the Nagasawa Art-Park, Artist in Residence
program, founded by Keiko Kadota. Together with 5 other international
artists, I worked and studied in the studio of Nagasawa Heights, for two
months. The studio was situated high in the hills of Awaji-island south of
Kobe.
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Tadashi Toda (printer) |
Shunzu Matsuda (carver) |
The opportunity to learn this old printing technique has had a big impact
on me. I not only changed from working in the technique of silkscreen
printing, but also gradually changed my expression in art. The teachers
were highly skilled, like the master printer Tadashi Toda, the carver
Shunzo Matsuda, both from Kyoto, and Kyoko Sakamoto, from Nagoya
University of Art. Paper-making was taught by Yoshiharu Okuda from
Awaji-island. It was in the same period that I got the opportunity to make
a collaboration project together with artist and printmaker Masahiro
Takade called “The Nagasawa Bird”. After that, the second collaboration
woodblock project “Spring is Here” was finished in 2007.
Mokuhanga is a flexible and non-toxic method to make prints. The
working space does not have to be big. Also, this technique does not
need a printing press. The printing sessions are all done by hand with a
bamboo baren. All ink or colours are water based. The choice of paper is
very important for me. Recently, I have been using Japanese kozo paper,
90 gram.
Since my stay in Japan, I have been working exclusively in this traditional
Mokuhanga technique. The delicate process that applies to drawing the
design, carving, and printing are very time consuming and, thus, leads to
the ultimate decision of making limited editions. Every time that I start
working on a new print, I realize that the world of mokuhanga for me is
endlessly big and constantly filled with new challenges. I am faced daily
with finding solutions and making choices to improve my printing
technique. Recently, I have been interested in architecture related to
wood block print. I try to stay as close as possible to the original design
and its colours.
My favorite poet, Robert Frost wrote a beautiful poem, “The Road Not
Taken”, about making choices:
Working in this old technique with a contemporary way of designing
requires quiet concentration and lengthy preparation. I try to radiate that
serenity. It is my hope that my prints never disturb the viewer. I do not
want my work to scream for attention but, rather, let them express a firm
sense of joy. I also strive that the execution of the prints are exceptionally
precise and refined.
The collections on this website contain new and old works. All prints are
done in the traditional mokuhanga technique.
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working table with mokuhanga tools |
carving the woodblock |
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