Yuko Shiraishi is included in the upcoming exhibition 'Ukiyo-E in Play: Artists Re-working the Traditions of Woodcut Prints' which will open at the Hyokeikan, Tokyo National Museum on 22 April.
The exhibition brings together contemporary ukiyo-e woodcut prints by 85 artists to explore the potential of this time-honored art form as it evolves into the future.
Featuring works created by artists, designers and creaters from various fields who have collaborated with the carvers and printers of the Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints to take on the role of the modern-day 'eshi' (artists who produced the original drawings for woodcut prints). These prints draw inspiration from the expressive power of traditional woodcut printing and reimagine the ukiyo-e in a present-day context.
The techniques of Japanese woodcut printing developed during the Edo period (1603-1868), giving rise to the dynamic and expressive art form known as ukiyo-e. The word ukiyo, literally “floating world,” also means “of the current age,” and ukiyo-e prints were a form of media that vividly reflected their time, capturing the essence of Edo-period society.
The highly refined woodcut techniques that produced the works of Sharaku, Utamaro, and Hokusai have been continuously passed down to contemporary artisans. The crisp lines and luminous colors, created using mountain cherry wood blocks and printed with ink and water-based pigments on washi paper, are unparalleled and inimitable. These traditional methods endure, evolving through works that continue to enchant people today, and preserving the art form’s legacy for future generations.
Ukiyo-E in Play: Artists Re-working the Traditions of Woodcut Prints
Hyokeikan, Tokyo National Museum, Ueno Park
April 22 - June 15 2025
To read more about the exhibition please click here
