Otsu-e 1909 - 1910

Kamisaka Sekka made this print, titled Otsu-e, at some point in his lifetime using traditional Japanese printmaking techniques. It’s like the artist has taken apart a fan and reassembled it in a Cubist style, with all these different characters and scenes crammed into geometric shapes. I can imagine Sekka carefully carving each block, layering the colors to create a sense of depth and movement, figuring out the registration, proofing, and problem-solving. The figures themselves – are they actors, folk heroes, or just everyday people? You get the sense they might be part of a larger narrative, chopped into bits, yet they still retain their individuality. It makes me think about other artists who play with perspective and fragmentation, like Picasso or the Futurist painters. Artists are always picking up on each other's ideas, riffing, remixing, and responding in their own way. There’s a real conversation happening, with the artworks as the speakers. Ultimately, this image is a reminder that there are endless ways to look at the world and the stories we tell ourselves.