The Artist Bringing Back Ukiyo-e In 21st Japan
Ukiyo-e has been one of the most trailblazing elements of Japanese history.
Ukiyo-e is a traditional woodblock print that dominated Japanese culture between the 17th and 19th centuries, and the most popular piece of this medium is unmistakably The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Hokusai. Not only were ukiyo-e extremely important and valued in high society, but these woodblock prints also changed the course of media and art in the rest of the world as well. Nowadays, ukiyo-e is mainly reserved for private collections and museums, but the artist Shisamu Iwase has revived them like no one ever has.
The Osaka native was born in 1981 and has basked in his father’s passion for painting and sculpting, which Iwase took in. His career in illustration took root from his love for punk rock and grunge, and Iwase used to create highly customized posters and advertisements. Later, as the artist pursued deeper studies, ukiyo-e fell into his lap, and today Shisamu Iwase, also known as Ukiyoe-Mon, is best known for his take on this traditional Japanese medium.
To those unfamiliar, ukiyo-e usually depicted scenes of royalty, spirituality, tales, theater, and nature. Whether it’s out of irony or brotherly compassion, Iwase prints Japanese salarymen in the traditional chonmage (half bald top knot) hairstyle with Noh makeup.
Contemporary elements contrast with the medium, giving us a reflective glimpse into the past. Sleeping salarymen à la “Shibuya meltdown” in trains and stairways, puffing on cigarettes, and a ubiquitous relationship with technology, Iwase transforms our most mundane habits into historical observations.
What’s interesting about Iwase’s art is the visible influences of manga and street culture. His illustrations resonate like inside jokes in Japan’s boyish side of the culture yet are an honorable tribute to this long-lost art.
About the Author:
Mizuki Khoury
Born in Montreal, based in Tokyo. Sabukaru’s senior writer and works as an artist under Exit Number Five.
