Japanese Print "Inside-Outside IV" by Nakazawa Shin'ichi
Artist:Nakazawa Shin'ichi
Title:Inside-Outside IV
Date:20th century
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Source:Worcester Art Museum
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Description:
The avant-garde artist Nakazawa Shin'ichi taught himself to make etchings in 1975 and, in 1979 he graduated from Rikkyo University in Tokyo. The reclusive Nakazawa lives with many cats in a rustic farmhouse with a rambling garden and pond, near forest and mountains, located two hours outside Tokyo. Nakazawa works are sophisticated, original interpretations of classical elegance. Inspired by the decorative screens and calligraphy of famous early 17th century Rinpa-school masters such as Tawaraya Sotatsu and Hon'ami Koetsu, Nakazawa produces abstract prints which combine hand-applied silver, gold and/or platinum leaf with lively graffiti-style script, vaguely reminiscent of the hiragana syllabary. This etching, entitled "Inside-Outside IV" is subtly reminiscent of shoji, the sliding doors made of a wooden grid-work covered with Japanese paper that separate the inside and outside of traditional Japanese homes. Compositionally it exemplifies Nakazawa's philosophy to create order and balance within limited spaces.