“The Sea: Above and Below” Exhibition
Ronin Gallery
This event has ended.
Japanese culture has always had reverence for the sea’s great and changeable character, and its waves and tides are imbued with a divine nature through the important traditions of Shinto. In conjunction with Asia Week 2014, Ronin Gallery is delighted to present “The Sea,” an exhibition of over fifty important 18th through 20th century woodblock prints celebrating the significance and poetry of the sea in Japanese art.
An island nation, Japan is mesmerized by the power and beauty of its ocean, lakes, rivers, and streams, and there is a long tradition of depicting seascapes in the visual arts. Japanese artists have always been drawn to the worlds of the sea, both above and below. Images of sailboats on moonlit waters and fierce warriors battling on the waves express the symbiotic relationship between the realm of humans and the realm of water, while the immense swirling crests of Kanagawa and the churning whirlpools of Naruto convey the poetic might and undeniable, awesome beauty of the deep. Similarly, the delicate life continually thriving below the surface of the waves has been a constant source of inspiration. Woodblock print artists depict the shimmering shoals of fish slipping through the water and the small, gem-like shells glittering in tidal pools with gold leaf and sprinklings of mica, allowing the mosaic of aquatic life to spark their creative imaginations.
“The Sea” showcases a rare collection of exquisite woodblock prints by such artists as Utamaro, Hokusai, Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi, and Yoshitoshi. This exhibition will feature some of the most famous and revered images of the sea, including Hokusai’s “Great Wave off Kanagawa,” Hiroshige’s “Whirlpools of Naruto,” and prints from Utamaro’s “Gifts of the Ebb Tide (The Shell Book).” The Sea will also highlight prints from the most important masters of the early twentieth century, including Yoshida and Hasui. Whether through dynamic compositions, refined line, or subtle color, this exhibition celebrates the moods and songs of the sea.
[Image: Hiroshige “Arai, The 53 Stations of the Tokaido ” (1832-1833) Woodblock Print 10 x 14.75 in.]
Media
Schedule
from March 13, 2014 to April 26, 2014
Artist(s)
Harunobu, Utamaro, Hokusai, Katsushika Taito, Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi, Yoshitoshi, Chikanobu, Ginko, Gekko, Yoshimori, Kiyochika, Kokyo, Hoson, Koson, Hasui Kawase, Hiroshi Yoshida, Koitsu, Toshi Yoshida, Bakufu