ONE hundred icons of Japanese culture are captured in the work of Nana Shiomi, currently on display at Editions gallery.
The artist is in the process of creating a series of 100 woodcut prints, using natural materials, due to be completed this year.
Shiomi often makes reference to masterpieces from the Japanese traditional ukiyo-e woodblock printing in her work.
These images explore the notion of “Mitate”, a thought process that associates objects with larger concepts.
Such designs, known as “look and compare pictures” traditionally offer multiple layers of meaning. Apparently unrelated subjects are linked, such as contemporary figures being substituted for historical ones to encourage the viewer to compare a contemporary courtesan with a great historical poet.
Shiomi studied in Japan before taking an MA in printmaking at the Royal College of Art.
After a period of re-examining Western culture in the early-90s, she has now moved on to considering her own Japanese culture.
ONE Hundred Views of Mitate, by Nana Shiomi, is at Editions, Cook Street, Liverpool, until June 13.
