Concept:
“Yuki” is the studio name made of: YUko chikazawa and maKI
shimizu.
They met in the print-lab of the ‘Tsukuba’ University
and began collaboration in 2001.
All the portraits were designed by Maki in pencil, her favourite
instrument. Maki was inspired by 1000 snap-shots left on
Yuko’s desk in their studio and took part as an art
director in making the visual concept of this series. After
the designs were made, Yuko carved them in wood-blocks.
We tried to apply traditional technique but still keep their
modern expression. That’s how the project named “UKIYOE”
took off.
UKIYOE (‘pictures of floating world’) suggests
the traditional Japanese woodcut-printing technique. What
we tried to achieve was to produce modern-looking images
in the particular style.
This involved joint work, with each of the artist applying
their skills and talent to the maximum, aiming at high quality
of the final pictures, with the standard of classic master-pieces
in our minds.
In this process, trust in each other was important.
Overall, this collection (about 40 pieces) is mostly of
our friends. By choosing ‘ordinary faces’ of
our friends as subjects we hoped to stay in close relation
to the original meaning of the ‘ukiyo-e’.
In fortunately we have fun and find presure, so that continue
our effort since 6 years and Yuki has got more than 5 exbitions
in Germany in the last cupple years. Each time we’ve
got hot feedbacks, and we are preparing for an exhibition
in Munich (2007 / Autum) to make new portraits with new
friends and web site now.
