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Yoshida: Three Generations of Japanese Printmaking

19 June – 3 November 2024
Dulwich Picture Gallery, London

 

This summer, Dulwich Picture Gallery is set to host a landmark exhibition featuring the Yoshida family. Spanning three generations and two centuries, this exhibition will be the first of its kind in the UK and Europe, focusing on the evolution of Japanese printmaking through the works of Yoshida Hiroshi, Fujio, Tōshi, Hodaka, Chizuko, and Ayomi.

 

Yoshida Hiroshi, Kumoi Cherry Trees, 1926. Courtesy Fukuoka Art Museum.

Yoshida Hiroshi (1876-1950): A Shin Hanga Pioneer

The exhibition opens with the work of Yoshida Hiroshi, a central figure in the shin hanga movement. Hiroshi’s global travels and his woodblock prints of American and European landscapes earned him an international reputation. Visitors will gain unique insights into Hiroshi’s time in London, including his 1900 visit to Dulwich Picture Gallery, documented in the Gallery’s visitor book and his diaries. Over 20 of Hiroshi’s works, many debuting in the UK, will be showcased, with highlights including “El Capitan” (1925), “A Canal in Venice” (1925), and “Kumoi Cherry Trees” (1926).

Jennifer Scott, Director of Dulwich Picture Gallery, expressed her enthusiasm, saying, “I get goosebumps thinking about Yoshida Hiroshi’s visit to Dulwich Picture Gallery in 1900. We (metaphorically) welcome him back with this landmark exhibition which introduces UK audiences to his exquisite work and to his legacy – an exceptional family of printmakers.”

Yoshida Fujio, Yellow Iris, 1954, Private Collection, Photograph by Mareo Suemasa.

Yoshida Fujio (1887–1987): Celebrating Watercolours and Printmaking

For the first time in the UK, the delicate watercolours and prints of Yoshida Fujio will be displayed. Fujio, who traveled extensively with her husband Hiroshi, was acclaimed for her representations of Japanese landscapes. Her participation in the first Japanese Academy of Arts exhibition in 1907 and her iconic close-up designs of plants and flowers will be key highlights.

 

Yoshida Tōshi (1911–1995) and Yoshida Hodaka (1926–1995): Post-war Innovation

The exhibition will also feature the works of Hiroshi and Fujio’s sons, Tōshi and Hodaka. Tōshi’s transition from traditional landscapes to abstract prints post-WWII, illustrated by pieces like “Night Tokyo: Supper Waggon” (1938) and “Camouflage” (1985), marks a significant evolution in style. Hodaka, a pioneer in post-war Japanese printmaking, diverged from family tradition by integrating collage and photoetching, influenced by Pop Art, Surrealism, and Abstraction. His works “Profile of an Ancient Warrior” (1958) and “Nonsense Mythology” (1969) reflect his innovative spirit.

Yoshida Chizuko (1924–2017): Bridging Tradition and Modernity

Chizuko, Hodaka’s wife, co-founded Japan’s first group of female printmakers, the Women’s Print Association. Her art often merged traditional Japanese themes with elements of Abstract Expressionism, as seen in “A View at the Western Suburb of the Metropolis/ Rainy Season” (1995) and “Jazz” (1954).

Yoshida Chizuko, Tenryuji Garden, 1953, Private Collection, Photograph by Mareo Suemasa.

Yoshida Ayomi (b. 1958): Contemporary Blossoms

The exhibition culminates with a new site-specific cherry blossom installation by Ayomi, the youngest Yoshida. Ayomi blends traditional techniques with modern elements, using organic materials. Her installation, inspired by the cherry trees of Dulwich Village and Yoshino, Japan, explores seasonality in Japanese art and is created specifically for Dulwich Picture Gallery.

Reflecting on her grandfather’s legacy, Yoshida Ayomi shared, “When I found my grandfather’s signature in the Dulwich Picture Gallery guest book, my heart skipped a beat. What an exciting and intriguing journey it must have been for Hiroshi, then an unknown painter and only 23, traveling from a country so far away. How proud he would be of this family exhibit of six, welcomed 120 years later at this wonderful museum.”

Curated by Dr. Monika Hinkel with support from Helen Hillyard, this exhibition features works on loan from international and private collections, with significant contributions from the Fukuoka Art Museum. A comprehensive full-color publication, including new research by Dr. Hinkel, will accompany the exhibition.

Yoshida: Three Generations of Japanese Printmaking promises to be an unparalleled exploration of the Yoshida family’s artistic legacy, offering a profound understanding of Japanese printmaking’s evolution through the eyes of one extraordinary family.

                   

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