With Gajin Fujita: Ukiyo-e in Contemporary Painting and Masterpieces of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi both on view at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, we’re sharing a few images of the works that can be seen in each exhibition.
Viewing these works in counterpoint to each other, one can see how ukiyo-e, 17th-19th century Japanese woodblock prints, like those by famed Japanese artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892), have influenced Gajin Fujita’s work through color palette and subject matter. However, what is also evident are the similarities between the traditional technique of ukiyo-e woodblock printinmaking and Gajin’s process of stenciling – each involves an exact layering of color to build the desired imagery. The following videos illustrate these two unique approaches:
(above video via the Pacific Asia Museum blog)
It truly is special to have the works by Gajin Fujita and Tsukioka Yoshitoshi reside under the same roof, and would like to thank the staff at the Pacific Asia Museum for making these exhibitions possible, and for generously providing us with additional images for this post!
We hope you have the opportunity to visit the Pacific Asia Museum before these exhibitions come to an end.
Gajin Fujita: Ukiyo-e in Contemporary Painting on view through October 7.
Masterpieces of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi on view through August 12.
Images Left to Right; Top to Bottom: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892),Kintarō Snaring a Giant Carp (Kintarō horigyo), Japan, July 1885, Woodblock print on paper, Collection of Ed Freis, Courtesy of Pacific Asia Museum; Gajin Fujita, Golden Boy After Kuniyoshi, 2011, gold leaf, platinum leaf, and silver leaf with spraypaint and paint markers on wood panel, Private Collection; Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892),Gojō Bridge in the Chronicles of Yoshitsune (Gikeiki Gojōbashi no zu), Japan, 1881, Woodblock print on paper, Collection of Ed Freis, Courtesy of Pacific Asia Museum; Gajin Fujita, Shore Line Duel, 2004, gold and white gold leaf, acrylic, spray paint and Mean Streak on wood panels, Private Collection.