Exhibition Announcement: Japanese Gallery

By Tattoo Collective Posted in - Art Exhibitions & General News & Uncategorised & Uncategorized on January 26th, 2018 0 Comments

After a successful participation at The London Tattoo Convention in 2017, Japanese Gallery are proud to share a new collection of extraordinary traditional woodblock prints at The Tattoo Collective this March.

Japanese Gallery, London

Featuring pieces by Kuniyoshi, Kunichika, Toyokuni III and Paul Binnie amongst others, these works offer an insightful view to Japanese tattoo culture through the ages.

The exhibit will take viewers through an evolutionary journey of wabori (Japanese traditional tattoo designs), conflating modern day tattoo styles with the popularity of ukiyo-e in the mid-18th century Edo period (1603 – 1868).

Japanese Gallery, London

In a time when the strict, controlling Tokugawa government suppressed any signs of individuality, tattoos and printmaking were proof that the working classes found their own way of expressing themselves through the vibrant world of popular art. Extremely elaborate, both artistically and culturally, the purpose of Japanese tattoos shifted over time from a form of punishment to beautification, with designs depicting religious and symbolic meaning.

Japanese Gallery, London

Comparable in tradition and technique to ukiyo-e, tattoos were catering to the working classes and otokodate of Edo – the artists, the merchants and the gangsters.

Seeking to connect past and present, the exhibition will trace the development and popularity of Japanese tattoos alongside woodblock printing, while focusing on the importance of their aesthetic value.