Space and Dimension

Woodblock and Silkscreen Prints by

Funasaka Yoshisuke

Born in 1939 in the Gifu prefecture of Japan, Funasaka Yoshisuke attended the prestigious Tama University of Art in Tokyo and began making and showing prints in regional galleries and exhibitions. Among his accomplishments, Funasaka won a prize at the Tokyo International Print Biennial in 1970 and received a fellowship from the Japanese Government Oversea Training Program for Artists to study art in the United States and Europe. He has taught printmaking since 1974 and has been instrumental in bringing foreign artists to Japan to learn traditional Japanese arts. The artist has exhibited regularly with the College Women’s Association of Japan print show since 1979.

Funasaka is known for his recurring use of three objects – the lemon, the hole and unique linear designs he created. In Frances Blakemore’s Who’s Who in Modern Japanese Prints, Funasaka says of the lemon, “I like the taste, I like the smell, I like the color – it represents freshness.” The motif may appear singly or in groups, contrast with dark backgrounds, or almost disappear among other elements. Similarly, the linear design elements appear with variations in color and background. Many of these prints are part of the series “My Space and My Dimension” and incorporate the use of mica powder to provide subtle contrasts in surfaces.

Funasaka Yoshisuke’s prints can be found in the collections of Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art; Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris; the British Museum; Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia; National Museum of Asian Art, Washington, D.C.; Art Institute of Chicago; and the Brooklyn Museum, among others.

Exhibition Dates:  March 15 – April 27, 2024

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