MIYASHITA, TOKIO (1930 - 2011)

Medium: Woodblock with intaglio

Miyashita is known for his use of combination processes in creating unique original prints. Well versed in the traditional Japanese woodblock techniques, Miyashita trained under the late great woodblock print master, Junichiro Sekino. He also applies the Occidental intaglio process to his work. Miyashita takes irregularly shaped metal plates, and then impresses them onto dampened handmade paper to produce finely detailed inset images. Still he is primarily known as a colorist, with large areas of the artwork done in rich, brilliant flat grounds, printed in woodblock. Since the handmade washi paper is relatively thin, the viewer is sometimes able to see the circular marks left by the baren when it is rubbed over the back of the paper to transfer ink from the block. Studying the seemingly random placement of etched fragments, one can see that the artist has planned and arranged the positions of each element as carefully as a designer places the stones in a Japanese garden.

Exhibitions:
CW AJ Exhibits, Tokyo Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
Japan Print Association=Prize Winner Sao Paulo, Brazil
Kyoto, Japan
Seattle, Washington
Lugano, Switzerland
Bradford, England

Collections:
National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto Victoria and Albert Museum, London Museum of Modern Art, New York Chase Manhattan Bank, New York National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo