"Komai Tetsuro: A Sparkling Universe on Paper," an exhibition of works by Komai Tetsuro, a pioneer of contemporary copperplate engraving in Japan, will be held at the Yokohama Museum of Art from October 13th to December 16th.

Komai Tetsuro, Title Unknown, c. 1971, Setagaya Art Museum (Yoshiharu Fukuhara Collection)
(c)Yoshiko Komai 2018/JAA1800117
Komai Tetsuro has been highly acclaimed both at home and abroad for his prints, which are imbued with a profound poetic world. Utilizing a variety of copperplate printing techniques, Komai simultaneously pursued seemingly contradictory styles—subtle tonal surfaces and sharp lines, precise depictions and fantastical abstract forms, stoic monochromes and saturated colors—creating a wide range of expressions. His unrivaled corrosion technique creates a rich, almost fragrant expression on the paper. Komai's universe, which lies between dreams and madness, resonates with us even more today, in the digital age. This exhibition, organized into six chapters, traces the development of Komai's work from his early years to his later years. His lesser-known side as a colorist is also revealed through vibrant color monotypes (single-print prints) centered around the Yoshiharu Fukuhara collection. The exhibition features approximately 210 of Komai's prints and poetry collections, along with approximately 80 works by related artists, showcasing a rich world woven from organic connections across various genres.

Paul Klee, Cathedral (Oriental Style), 1932, Asahi Breweries, Ltd.
In the 1950s, Komai participated in the intermedia avant-garde art collective "Experimental Workshop," collaborating with composer Joji Yuasa to create auto-slides and three-dimensional objects. From the late 1950s, he collaborated with many poets, including Makoto Ooka and Tsuguo Ando, on the production of illustrated poetry anthologies and book covers. This exhibition focuses on Komai's genre-transcending expression and explores the appeal of his art, which has a distinctive interdisciplinary nature that connects it to literature and music.

In addition to his knowledge of copperplate engraving, Komai also had a wide knowledge of Western art history, and was significantly influenced by the works of Western painters such as Redon, Klee, and Miro. Komai contributed numerous critical essays about these artists to art magazines, from which his own views on art can be gleaned. This exhibition will examine Komai's writings, juxtaposing his own works with those of the Western painters he admired, to examine what Komai absorbed from them and how this developed into his own unique creative work.

Komai Tetsuro, Yellow House, 1960, Setagaya Art Museum (Fukuhara Yoshiharu Collection)
(c)Yoshiko Komai 2018/JAA1800117

A number of related events will be held during the exhibition. Starting at 2 pm on October 13th in the museum's Lecture Hall, a lecture entitled "The Man and Works of My Master Komai Tetsuro: Copperplate Prints and Pas de Deux" will be held with copperplate print artist Nakabayashi Tadayoshi as the lecturer. On November 10th, at 2 PM, poet Fuzuki Yuko will be guest speaker at a talk and poetry reading entitled "When Words are Born from Pictures" in the museum's circular forum. On December 2nd, at 1:30 PM, copperplate engraver Tatsumasa Watanabe, who studied under Komai, will demonstrate printing using Komai's copperplates in a public atelier entitled "Komai Tetsuro: A World Engraved on Plates." In addition, on December 9th and 16th, Watanabe will also be hosting a series of courses entitled "Mezzotint: A Copperplate Printmaking Experience." On November 23rd, a parent-child course entitled "Small Copperplate Prints - Try Monotype Printmaking!" will be held for elementary school students and their parents. After viewing the various works in the exhibition, parents and children can try their hand at making a small copperplate print together. There will also be a gallery talk by a curator. For detailed information on each event and to apply, please visit the website (https://yokohama.art.museum/special/2018/TetsuroKomai/event.html).

By using the development of Komai's work from his early years to his later years as the warp thread and his interactions and influences with other artists as the weft thread, this exhibition will allow you to re-examine the multifaceted figure of Komai and discover new appeals in his work. Be sure to visit.