Shikō Munakata

Munakata Shikō
Munakata Shikō
Born	Munakata Shikō; September 5, 1903; Aomori,Japan
Died	13 September 1975(aged 72); Tokyo,Japan
Nationality	Japanese
Known for	Painter,Printmaker
Notable work	Ten Great Disciples of the Buddha
Movement	sōsaku-hanga,folk artsmovement
Awards	Order of Culture,many others

Shikō Munakata(Đống phương chí công,Munakata Shikō,September 5, 1903 – September 13, 1975)was awoodblock printmakeractive inShōwa period Japan.He is associated with thesōsaku-hangamovement and themingei(folk art) movement. Munakata was awarded the "Prize of Excellence" at the Second International Print Exhibition inLugano,Switzerlandin 1952, and first prize at theSão PauloBienal Exhibition inBrazilin 1955, followed by Grand Prix at theVeniceBiennale in 1956, and theOrder of Culture,the highest honor in the arts by the Japanese government in 1970.

Early life

Munakata was born in the city ofAomoriinAomori Prefecturein northernHonshūas the third of 15 children to a localblacksmith.Due to the impoverished circumstances of his family, he had only an elementary school education; however, he exhibited a passion for art from early childhood. In third grade, he began illustrating kites for his classmates.

Munakata later claimed that his artistic endeavors were sparked byVincent van Gogh's (1853–1890)Still Life: Vase with Five Flowers,a reproduction of which was given to him by his teacher when he was 17. Upon viewing of van Gogh's artwork, young Munakata decided that he wanted to become the “van Gogh of Aomori”. In 1924, Munakata moved toTokyoin order to fulfill his decision to become a professional painter in oils.

Munakata's early career was not without obstacles. Unable to sell his paintings, he was forced to repair shoes and sellnattōpart-time to survive. He was rejected by theBunten(TheJapan Art AcademyExhibition) four times, until one of his paintings was finally accepted in 1928. However, by this date, his attention had shifted away fromoil paintingto the traditional Japanese art of woodblock printing.

The path towards woodblock prints

Koutokuji Temple in Fukumitsu Town, Toyama Prefecture, where Shikō Munakata stayed.

In 1926, Munakata sawKawakami Sumio's black-and-white woodcutEarly Summer Breeze,and decided to work on black-and-white prints. From 1928 onwards,Hiratsuka Unichi(1895–1997), another renownedsōsaku-hangaprintmaker, taught Munakatawood carving.In 1929, four of his prints were accepted by theShunyokaiExhibition, which bolstered his confidence in the new medium. In the following year, four more of his works were accepted for theKokugakainational exhibition, thus establishing him in his career. His work was also part of the art competitions at the1932 Summer Olympicsand the1936 Summer Olympics.^[1]

In 1935,Yanagi Sōetsu(1889–1961), father of themingei(folk art) movement, saw Munakata's prints at the Kokugakai's annual spring exhibition, and bought twenty-five prints ofYamato shi Uruwashiby Munakata. This event changed Munakata's life. From then on Munakata was closely associated with the Japanese folk art movement. In 1936, Munakata went toKyotoand visited manyBuddhist templesand saw manysculptures.Munakata's exposure to Buddhist religious imagery influenced his artistic style significantly.^[2]Ten Great Disciples of the Buddha(1939) is considered to be his greatest masterpiece.^[3]

Munakata's house and most of his woodblocks were destroyed in theAmerican firebombing of Tokyoin May 1945; his pet was also killed. He relocated toFukumitsu Town,Toyama Prefecturefrom 1945-1951.

Postwar period

AfterWorld War II,Munakata produced numerous woodblock prints, paintings in watercolor and oil,calligraphy,and illustrated books. He moved his studio toKamakurain Kanagawa to be closer to Tokyo. He traveled overseas to theUnited StatesandEuropein 1959, giving lectures at a number of overseas universities. His works received critical acclaim both in Japan and overseas, and he received many prizes.

Munakata was awarded the "Prize of Excellence" at the Second International Print Exhibition inLugano,Switzerland,in 1952, and first prize at theSão PauloBienal Exhibition inBrazilin 1955, followed by Grand Prix at theVeniceBiennale in 1956. He was awarded theOrder of Culture,the highest honor in the arts, by the Japanese government in 1970.

Munakata Shiko Memorial Museum of Art in Aomori

Munakata died at his home in Tokyo. His grave is in Aomori, and his gravestone is patterned after that of Vincent van Gogh.

Subject matter and technique

Munakata took many of his themes from the traditions of his native Aomori in northern Japan, including the local people's love of nature and folk festivals such as theNebutafestival. Munakata's belief and philosophy were engrained inShin Buddhism.His prints feature images of floating nude females representingShintokamithat inhabit trees and plants. Inspired by poetry of theHeian period,Munakata also incorporated poetry and calligraphy into his prints.

This extremelyshortsightedartist brought his face almost into contact with the wood when he carved. In his words, “the mind goes and the tool walks alone”. Munakata carved with amazing speed and scarcely used any preparatorysketches,producing spontaneous vitality that is unique to his prints. During the early stage of his career, Munakata worked exclusively on black-and-white prints. Later on, upon the advice ofYanagi Sōetsu(1889–1961), Munakata colored his prints from the back, a technique calledurazaishiki.

Munakata's philosophy on woodblock prints

UnlikeKōshirō Onchi(1891–1955), father of thesōsaku-hangamovement, who advocated artists’ expression of the "self" in creating prints, Munakata disclaimed all responsibilities as creator of art. For Munakata, artistic creation is one but many of the manifestations of nature's force and beauty, which is inherent in thewoodblockitself. Munakata called printsitagainstead ofhanga^{[citation needed]},emphasizing the material instead of the process ofprinting.(written in the samekanji,hanrefers to the process of printing, whereasitarefers to thewoodblockitself). In Munakata's words, "the essence ofhangalies in the fact that one must give in to the ways of the board... there is a power in the board, and one cannot force the tool against that power. "Munakata's subject matter and artistic style are very much characterized by his philosophy on the supremacy of the woodblock material and nature's inherent force and beauty.

Quotations of Shiko Munakata

"Like the vastness of space, like a universe unlimited, untold, unattainable, and inscrutable- that is the woodcut."

"The nature of the woodcut is such, that even a mistake in its carving will not prevent it from its true materialization."

"The concern that it be ugly is characteristic of human thoughts and not of the woodcut itself."

"It is inherent in the woodcut that it can never be ugly"

"The woodcut, unconcerned with good and evil, with ideas, with differences, tells us that it consists of truth alone,"

"It is precisely the beauty of this <way> which will further enlarge the limitlessness of the world of beauty."

(from Shiko Munakata,Munakata: the “Way” of the Woodcut,Brooklyn, Pratt Adlib Press, 1961).

Philately

One of Munakata’s works, “Benzaiten”, appeared on a 1982commemorative postage stampissued by the Japanese government as part of a series on modern Japanese art.

Gallery

Woodcut Screens of Shiko Munakataat theBrooklyn Museum,January 9 - February 18, 1968.
Woodcut Screens of Shiko Munakataat theBrooklyn Museum,January 9 - February 18, 1968.
Woodcut Screens of Shiko Munakataat theBrooklyn Museum,January 9 - February 18, 1968.

References

^"Shikō Munakata".Olympedia.Retrieved4 August2020.
^Nathan, Richard (12 March 2021)."Changing Nations: The Japanese Girl With a Book".Red Circle Authors.
^Fenstermaker, Will (2022)."Shikō Munakata: A Way of Seeing".TheGuide.art.

External links

[1] "Shikō Munakata".Olympedia.Retrieved4 August2020.

[2] Nathan, Richard (12 March 2021)."Changing Nations: The Japanese Girl With a Book".Red Circle Authors.

[3] Fenstermaker, Will (2022)."Shikō Munakata: A Way of Seeing".TheGuide.art.

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