Show Notes
On this episode of The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast, I have the opportunity to speak with Kazuko Hioki, Head of Preservation and Preservation Librarian/Conservator at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. We discuss how washi was used in book preservation during the Edo period in Japan, its connection to mokuhanga, and the many ways washi was used during this period of Japanese paper history, including recycled paper practices, traditional papermaking methods, and the role of washi in book creation. Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. Kazuko Hioki - here are some of Kazuko Hioki's articles where you can read and get a real understanding of her work. Investigation of Historical Japanese Paper: An Experiment to Recreate Recycled Paper from 18th-19th Century Japan
Characteristics of Japanese Block Printed Books in the Edo Period: 1603–1867
Tamarind Institute - was originally founded in Los Angeles in 1960 by June Wayne, and is a world renowned center for fine art lithography. Established to revive and sustain the art of lithography, which was in decline in the United States, Tamarind quickly became a leader in the education and promotion of lithographic techniques. In 1970, the institute moved to the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, where it continues to thrive as a key institution in the printmaking world. Dedicated to advancing the lithographic arts through rigorous education, collaborative projects, and the production of high-quality prints, the Tamarind Institute's influence extends globally, contributing significantly to the development and appreciation of lithography as a vibrant art form. More info, here.
Edo Bakufu, also known as the Tokugawa Bakufu, was the military government that ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868. During this period, Japan experienced remarkable political stability and economic growth, maintained through a strict social hierarchy and a system that required regional lords (daimyo) to alternate their residence between their domains and Edo. The Edo Bakufu fostered an environment in which culture, education, literature, theatre, and urban centres flourished. The bakufu came to an end with the Meiji Restoration in 1868, which restored imperial rule and marked the beginning of Japan's modernization.
Tohoku Region - is a region in Northern Japan which consists of six prefectures which are Aomori, Akita, Iwate, Yamagata, Miyagi and Fukushima.
Tosa, Kōchi - is a city located on Shikoku island, in the prefecture of Kōchi. Ki no Tsurayuki (872-945) was a court noble promoted as provincial governor of Tosa and promoted washi. More info can be found, here.
Eta - were one of the outcaste groups of Edo-period Japan. Associated with occupations involving animal carcasses, leather production, butchery, and executions, they were marginalized within the social hierarchy. Their descendants are today generally referred to as Burakumin.
kusazōshi - were popular illustrated books made during the Edo Period combining text and imagery.
gōkan - were a type of kusazōshi popular in late Edo-period Japan. Longer and more complex than earlier forms, they featured historical tales, adventure stories, romances, and popular fiction. Their illustrations also highlighted the craftsmanship of the artists, carvers, and printmakers who produced them.
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More from The Unfinished Print : A Mokuhanga Podcast
One of the things that I have observed about mokuhanga printmakers is that they are always striving to get better in their practice. Mokuhanga is a printmaking medium that challenges the maker in many different ways, and navigating those challenges through hard work and experimentation can ultimately be a very rewarding experience. On this episode of The Unfinished Print, a mokuhanga podcast, I speak with Aafke Ytsma, a printmaker currently splitting her time between Germany and the Netherlands. Aafke is a full-time artist who pushes the possibilities of what one can do with mokuhanga. We discuss how and why Aafke makes such large prints, and how watercolour influences her work. Aafke tells me about her love for the prints of the sōsaku-hanga movement and how they inspire her own practice. We also talk about the risks and rewards of being a full-time artist, crowdfunding and grants. Aafke goes into detail about how she makes her prints through mark-making, and how that process shapes her work. Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me [email protected] Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. Artists works follow after the note if available. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known. Print publishers are given if known. Aafke Ytsma - website, Instagram
For the past few years, I have begun to study Japanese washi in my own time. As a mokuhanga printmaker, and through The Unfinished Print, I have been taught to see Japanese washi in many different ways: how it is made, how it is used, and, more importantly for me, how people view this indelible medium in our mokuhanga practice. I speak with Paul Denhoed, a paper researcher and papermaker based in Japan. I had the opportunity to attend a few of Paul's lectures here in Toronto at the Japanese Paper Place, and I came away from those lectures intrigued and wanting to learn more about Japanese washi. Paul discusses his work in Japan helping to make washi, what the term washi means, and how the different paper producers in Japan work—and don't work—together. Paul shares his experiences with Richard Flavin, and Hiroaki Imai. We look at how these experiences shaped his work today and continue to shape his work into tomorrow. We also go into detail about kōzo and one of the key ingredients in Japanese washi, neri: how it is used and how it helps create beautiful washi.
Blending different cultures, whether artistically or internationally, comes into play in everyone's mokuhanga. Your work is infused with your life, your city, your family, and even cultures from abroad. I personally think it's inescapable, and that's what makes mokuhanga such a beautiful medium to explore. On this episode of The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast, I speak with Inga Eičaitė, a mokuhanga printmaker who splits her time between London, England, and Lithuania. Inga and I discuss her mokuhanga work and what inspires her to make it, her love of anime, mixing different printmaking mediums with her mokuhanga, comparing the use of Korean hanji paper and Japanese washi, and making emakimono. We also discuss how community has become an important part of Inga's practice through art fairs, and Inga speaks about her time in Lithuania and her desire to help grow mokuhanga there. Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me [email protected] Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. Artists works follow after the note if available. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known. Print publishers are given if known. Inga Eičaitė - website, Instagram
Producers of mokuhanga prints who also teach art at the academic level have always intrigued me. The balance between the solitary work of a printmaker and the responsibilities of teaching a wide range of artistic disciplines must be both complex and, at times, challenging. It raises questions such as: How much of my own creative journey can I pursue while also dedicating myself to students who look to me for guidance as both an artist and a teacher? On this episode of The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast, I speak with Melissa Schulenburg—an independent printmaker, member of the Mokuhanga Sisters collective, and Charles A. Dana Professor of Art & Art History at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. Our interview explores Melissa's work as both an educator and a practicing mokuhanga printmaker. We discuss the role of tradition in her practice, how her visits to Japan, participation in MI-LAB, and involvement with the Mokuhanga Sisters have shaped her artistic development. We also take a look inside her printmaking toolbox, discussing the papers, pigments, and tools she relies on, as well as her deep connection to nature and the influence it has on her work. Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me [email protected] Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. Artists works follow after the note if available. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known. Print publishers are given if known. Melissa Schulenberg - Instagram note* Melissa's website is under construction at the time of publishing. harimaze-e (貼交絵) is a format of mokuhanga that was particularly popular during Japan's Edo period (1603–1868). It consists of a single sheet of paper onto which multiple separate images were designed and printed. These compositions could include individual scenes arranged together on one sheet, sometimes functioning as diptychs or triptychs. Harimaze-e were commonly produced in a chūban format, measuring approximately 24.8 × 36.3 cm.
The longer you create mokuhanga, the more your individual tastes reveal themselves in your own work, your style, your ideas, and your unique way of seeing the world. These are the qualities that make a mokuhanga artist or craftsperson shine, and they represent the place many practitioners aspire to reach. On this episode of The Unfinished Print: A Mokuhanga Podcast, I speak with someone who has spent decades refining his style, developing his ideas, and defining his relationship with mokuhanga at the same time exploring a variety of printmaking mediums. Daniel Kelly lives and works in Kyoto, Japan, and for many years his work has been exhibited in galleries all around the world. It can also be found in private collections and in some of the world's most important museums. We discuss Daniel's studies under Tomikichiro Tokuriki and the lasting influence Tokuriki has had on his work. Daniel explains his preference for papers from outside Japan and why he generally avoids using Japanese washi. He also details his creative process, discusses his use of multiple printmaking mediums alongside mokuhanga, and he reflects on the advantages each brings to his practice. We also talk about galleries, selling work, and Daniel's views on tradition—and how, in some cases, it can hold artists back. Please follow The Unfinished Print and my own mokuhanga work on Instagram @andrezadoroznyprints or email me [email protected] Notes: may contain a hyperlink. Simply click on the highlighted word or phrase. Artists works follow after the note if available. Pieces are mokuhanga unless otherwise noted. Dimensions are given if known. Print publishers are given if known. Daniel Kelly - website