I’ve written before of my goal to get to know the works of one woman artist from every country in the world! It’s a lofty goal but I am slowly adding names to countries.
There were two countries which were full with names before I even began the project, Japan was one of them. With the likes of Yayoi Kusama, Yoko Ono, and Yuko Higuchi. Plus, I have long loved the tradition Japanese printmaking, the images of the floating world- and especially the landscapes, not to mention all the cats!
Few countries seem to love cats as much as Japan does, and that love is expressed in so many Japanese art forms. According to Philip Kennedy (Illustration Chronicles) “Sixth century Buddhist monks travelled from China to Japan. On these journeys, they brought scriptures, drawings, and relics – items that they hoped would help them introduce the teachings of Buddhism to the large island nation. They also brought cats, in part as carriers of good luck and in part for their ability to guard the sacred texts from the hungry mice that had stowed on board their ships.” Since then cats can be found nearly everywhere in Japan, cat cafe, shines and even cat islands.
Recently, I was lucky enough to see the hugely popular Hokusai (inspiration and influence) show at the MFA/Boston. There were a few things which stood out for me from that show
* He was PROLIFIC!
* The amount if modern day artists influenced by his work
* The work of his eldest daughter Katsushika Oi and perhaps the question of how much she may have helped him in his work as he aged.
There are not many records of other women printmakers from that time. Not until October 1956 in Tokyo when there was a debut exhibition of Japan’s first printmaking society for women artists, the Joryū Hanga Kyōkai, or the Women’s Print Association. For the next decade, the nine professional women artists (Iwami Reika (b. 1927), Kobayashi Donge (b. 1926), Shima Tamami (1937-1999), Uchima Toshiko (1918–2000), and Yoshida Chizuko (1924–2017)) who founded the society would continue to stage exhibitions of their work—culminating in a triumphant show in New York City in 1965.
Now back to Katsushika Oi, one of Japan’s most indirectly influential artists, she was born around 1800. It is said that Oi’s name - sometimes written as Oei, and also referred to as Eijo - was derived from おい, the Japanese equivalent of ‘hey you!’, which some historians report was what Hokusai called her, an embodiment of the playful nature of the father daughter duo.
Not a huge selection of Katsushika Oi’s paintings still exist. Here are two of my favorites
She was known to use color liberally, as is showcased in her piece Display room in Yoshiwara at Night, a depiction of Japan’s old brothel quarters, and Cherry Blossoms at Night.
Though we know that the father and daughter collaborated this (below) is the only confirmed one we know about; Oi painted the floral border and Hokusai the middle, a visual representation of the creative and familial harmony.
While her career was shadowed by her fathers, Hokusai, would have been the first to admit that in many artistic pursuits his daughter’s work outshone his. In her blog piece, Julie Nelson Davis, associate professor of the history of art at the University of Pennsylvania, quotes Hokusai as saying “when it comes to paintings of beautiful women, I can’t compete with her – she’s quite talented and expert in the technical aspects of painting.”
After Katsushika Oi’s divorce from fellow artist Minamisawa Tomei she moved back to live and paint with her father. The two were so focussed on their art that it is said they never cooked, or cleaned, once a house got too messy, they’d simply pack up and move somewhere else!!!
I am looking forward to catching two more shows featuring the work of Yayoi Kusama later this month at the Kataonah Art Gallery (miniature worlds along with the work of her close friend Joseph Cornell) and at the David Zwirner Gallery, Spend Each Day Embracing Flowers show.
I love these two collabs: The hugely popular and world wide show beterrn Yayoi Kusama and Louis Vuitton and the Yuko Higuchi collab with Gucci.
I will end this piece with the following colored prints by Edna Boies Hopkins, also part of the Hosukai show as they are reminiscent of his Small Flower Series and will take us from Japan to Provincetown where we will begin next weeks missive.
Week of May 8th-May 15th (BIG WEEK)
🖼️I will be in Provincetown this week teaching a sold out Botanical Cyanotype intensive at the PAAM (Provincetown Art Association and Museum)
🖼️Friday May 12th is the Art Opening of the Wall Gallery at Rhynia, inc, part of Arts Night Out in Northampton MA. This is the first of a monthly art show I will be curating. The theme for next month (June) is “Where flowers bloom so does hope.”Lady Bird Johnson. Please reach out if you are interested in submitting a piece. (We are presently only accepting 2d pieces)
🖼️ Saturday May 13th I will be a featured Artist at the Lowe Park Chalk Art Festival in Fitchburg MA.