Washing the Hair 

Editor: This woodblock print, "Washing the Hair" by Ito Shinsui, captures a really intimate moment. I'm curious about how the artist chose to depict this everyday act with such careful detail. What do you see when you look at this piece? Curator: The intimacy you perceive speaks directly to the cultural significance of communal bathing spaces in Japan and the associated labor. It is likely printed on kozo paper, a material prized for its strength and absorbency. Consider the social positionality of the bather – is she being objectified or is this work elevating the everyday and challenging traditional class boundaries through accessible art? Editor: That’s a good point about labor! The woodblock printing process itself also seems incredibly labor-intensive, carving and inking each block separately. Curator: Precisely. And the multiple stages involved! These materials dictate not only the aesthetic of the print with its characteristic flatness and lines, but also directly influenced its dissemination. Ukiyo-e prints were inherently mass-produced, connecting the artist’s labor directly to widespread consumption, and even the paper affected how and where it could be sold. Does considering this context change your understanding of the image? Editor: Definitely. Knowing about the labor involved in making and distributing the artwork, and the possible meanings tied to those things, makes me view it as more than just an aesthetic image. It becomes a comment on society. Curator: Indeed! We see that a materialist perspective encourages us to think about how art creation involves complex relationships and challenges within and between different forms of labour. Editor: Thanks for pointing that out! It is so helpful.