Shoichi Ida

Between Air and Water #18

1992

Beyond (sic) - IX Mezzotint, n.d. Signed, titled and numbered in pencil (see photos) Edition: Unique impression (i/I) Ninion and Sheldon Landy were major collectors of Hamanishi's works. They donated a large group of his mezzotints to Art Institute of Chicago, which formed the core of the exhibitions of his works at AIC in 2014 and again in 2019. Condition: excellent Plate/Image size: 9.75 x 7.75 inches Sheet size: 12 1/2 x 9 5/8 inches Provenance: Ninion and Sheldon Landy, Hamanishi's patrons EXTREMELY RARE-UNIQUE Katsunori Hamanishi Born: 1949, Hokkaido Medium: Mezzotint, with relief printing and metallic foil. Also a few woodblocks Hamanishi studied painting and graduated from Tokai University with a degree in Art, in 1973. Since then, he has been living in the Tokyo area, where his primary focus is printmaking. Mezzotint is a variation of intaglio printing--an exacting and laborious process whereby ink is transferred from below the surface of the plate by use of a press. First, the entire copper plate is indented with a toothed steel rocker tool. Worked in all directions, this creates an even finely-grained texture over the surface of the plate. Each pit will hold ink and were the plate inked at this stage, it would print almost solid black. To create the design the artist smoothes out some of the pits with a burnisher so they will hold less ink. Where highlights are required the plate is burnished and polished quite smooth. A wide range of tones are possible in mezzotint and the process can usually be recognized by a light design on a velvety black background. Hamanishi is internationally known for his mastery of this medium. He creates images with both subtle detail and dynamic composition that explore spatial relationships. His genius is in balancing calm and meditative qualities with the energetic tensions of inanimate and natural objects. Early work had such things as pipes and branches wrapped with cloth, later rope, then straw. When he moved to a more rural area, rice fields became a common element. He has also been exploring the use of color and metallic leaf in his artwork. In 2005 Mr. Hamanishis began the Haze series exploring more abstract themes using the subtle differences between matte and black inks done in mezzotint and relief printing. There is always a sense of mystery and intrigue in the complex mezzotint prints that come from Hamanishi’s deft hands. They compel the viewer to do a slow, thoughtful examination in order to fully absorb the vision the artist intends. Exhibitions: Worcester Art Museum, Massachusetts --2 person show with Hamaguchi Ibiza Biennial, Spain--Grand Prize Original Colored Graphic Print Triennial, Switzerland--Grand Prize Cabo Frio International Print Biennial, Brazil--Grand Prize CWAJ Print Show, Tokyo--Art Grant winner Republic of China Print Exhibit--Gold Medal Graphic Arts Council, Achenbach Foundation, San Francisco--commissioned print Art Institute of Cleveland University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada--visiting artist Shun-yo-Kai, Tokyo--prize winner Bhara Bhavan International Print Biennale, India Ren Brown...

Impression B Color woodcut, 1959 Signed and dated lower right (see photo) Titled lower left (see photo) A trial proof, prior to the edition of 100, signed and numbered Condition: Excellent Image size: 14 1/2 x 9 3/4 inches Provenance: Estate of the artist by decent to his heirs "Printmaker and painter Toshi Yoshida was born on July 25, 1911, into the respected Yoshida family of artists of Tokyo, Japan. Father Hiroshi was a celebrated landscape painter and printmaker, and mother Fujio established herself as the first female Yoshida artist as well as an Abstract artist later in her career. Younger brother Hodaka was an Abstract printmaker whose style, completely separate from his family's historic traditional bent, later influenced Toshi. Hodaka's wife Chizuko would become a pioneering female Japanese artist whose own exploration of Surrealism and Abstraction challenged the status quo. Toshi, however, as the eldest sibling, was expected to follow in his father's footsteps, and from an early age he was trained by Hiroshi in his studio. Unable to attend formal schooling due to the polio-induced paralyzation of his leg, Toshi would instead help with his family's printmaking studio and go on sketching trips with Hiroshi. As he got older, these trips would include India and Southeast Asia, working from morning to night taking night trains to get from one destination to another. Among Toshi's favorite subjects were the animals he discovered along the way. However, these trips ended as Japan entered military dictatorship in the mid 1930s, and artists whose work showed signs of Western influence were barred from exhibiting. At this time, Toshi left Japan for China and Korea, where he would remain for the duration of the war. He stuck to patriotic themes to remain in business, and after the end of World War II, as Japan struggled to recover from wartime economic depression, he earned his living creating traditional Japanese woodcut landscapes...

’Complementaries’ By Yutaka Takayanagi. Medium - Relief and lithographic print Edition - 19/20 Signed - Yes Size - 615mm x 780mm Date - 1976 Condition - Good. 9 out of 10. Born in Tokyo in 1941, Takayanagi's artistic journey began when he enrolled at Tokyo University of the Arts in 1960, studying under the renowned oil painter Kaoru Yamaguchi. His talent was quickly recognized when he received an Honorable Mention at the 8th Shell Arts Award Exhibition in the same year. During his time at university, Takayanagi took an intensive course in copper plate printing under Tetsuro Komai, receiving his degree from the graduate school in 1966. Fascinated by the simultaneous color print method, he started creating copperplate prints and soon gained recognition for his unique metallic reliefs, which he produced using collages of English newspapers. Takayanagi's passion for experimentation led him to create metallic emboss reliefs using his own photographs, and in the latter half of the 1980s, he moved on to silkscreen prints. He continued to push the boundaries of his art, constantly exploring new techniques and mediums. In 1978 and the following year, Takayanagi was appointed as an arts researcher for the Ministry of Culture and traveled to the United States, France, and the UK. These experiences enriched his artistic perspective and further cemented his reputation as a highly regarded artist. Takayanagi was part of the influential printmaking group Sosaku Hanga, which emerged in the early 20th century in Japan. This movement emphasized the artist's involvement in every stage of the printmaking process, from designing the image to carving and printing the blocks. Takayanagi's work often incorporates elements of nature and landscape, with an emphasis on texture and pattern. He also experimented with collage, incorporating found materials like newspaper clippings and photographs into his prints. Takayanagi's work has been exhibited extensively in Japan and internationally, including at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo. He has also received numerous awards for his contributions to printmaking, including the Japan Print Association Award and the Purple Ribbon Medal...

Artist: Yutaka Yoshinaga – Japanese (1948- ) Title: 96-C-1 Year: 1996 Medium: Color spit bite aquatint with drypoint and hard ground etching. Image si...