Irozaki Point 1940

Unichi Hiratsuka made this woodblock print, Irozaki Point, and it’s just fantastic. The way he’s carved the wood to make these strong, simple shapes – it’s all about the process, right? There's something really exciting about the materiality of this print. You can almost feel the grain of the wood, and see where he carefully cut away to leave these bold lines. Look at that sea - it's not just blue, it has this subtle, almost textured depth. And then, bam! These bright yellow cliffs jutting out. That contrast, that’s the whole story here. There is a little island in the distance. The bright light green colour contrasts wonderfully with the blue of the sea, sky and the black/dark brown colours of the land. It reminds me of other printmakers, like, say, Edvard Munch, who also knew how to make colour do all the heavy lifting. It’s a reminder that art is always in conversation, always borrowing and transforming. It’s not about answers, it’s about how we see.