Chicago Gallery

DESCRIPTION

Sosaku Hanga was one of two great artistic movements that emerged in 20th century Japanese printmaking, taking root in the late Meiji period. Proponents sought to cast off the traditional collaborative process of making woodblock prints and celebrated the woodblock artist as the sole originator and producer of artistic expression. Sosaku Hanga artists designed, carved and printed their work entirely themselves. Printmaking was no longer seen merely as a means to duplicate an image, but rather, as a vital form of expression for the artist. Floating World Gallery will discuss the work created by these Sosaku Hanga artists in the seminar A Break from the Past: The Sosaku Hanga Movement on Saturday, October 27 from 1:00 – 3:00 pm.

This seminar, led by Director of Exhibitions Elias Martin, will examine the entire Sosaku Hanga movement that unfolded from 1904 -1960. The themes of modernism, westernization, militarism, and identity, as well as other artistic movements such as expressionism and abstraction, will be explored through thework of over 40 artists, including Umetaro Azechi, Shizuo Fujimori, Unichi Hiratsuka, Tobari Kogan, Kiyoshi Saito, Junichiro Sekino, Koshiro Onchi, Gen Yamaguchi and Kanae Yamamoto.

Participants will have the rare opportunity to examine original prints that are often only seen in books or behind museum glass. The seminar will provide a foundation for an understanding of early 20th century Japanese prints, with an emphasis on history, production techniques, connoisseurship and collecting strategies. The seminar is complimentary, but reservations are required; please contact Elias Martin at 312-587-7800.

MEDIA

• Press release