Pond of Night 1957

Jun'ichiro Sekino created this woodblock print, Pond of Night, sometime in the mid-20th century. It’s fascinating how he uses color and layering to build up this scene; it's all about the process of how these blocks meet and overlap. Looking closely, you can see how Sekino carves and layers the woodblocks to create a rich, textured surface. The dark blues and blacks of the pond contrast with the muted colors of the buildings, giving the image a nocturnal, dreamlike quality. Notice the vertical lines in the pond: they're almost abstract and they capture the way light flickers on the water's surface. It's kind of amazing how he creates a sense of depth with such a flat, graphic medium. Sekino, like many printmakers, owes a debt to earlier traditions such as Japanese Ukiyo-e prints, but also anticipates later artists who combined printmaking with an interest in urban spaces, like some of the Pop Artists. Ultimately, this print reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation.