<b>GIVE ME EYES</b>Takeji Asano1965$2,500</em>

Details

Takeji Asano is well known for his woodblock prints in two distinct styles. He produced work for the vast part of his career in a format similar to shin hanga that resembled the designs of Tomikichiro Tokuriki. However, Asano broke new ground after 1960 and initiated a highly creative and distinctive new approach to printmaking that relied heavily on thick bold lines executed in black and white with a very limited color scheme. This new style was more aligned with sosaku hanga and celebrated highly individualistic subjects that appeared quite personal to the artist.

“Give Me Eyes” is a work executed in this new approach to printmaking. The work is constructed with broad, thick black bands. The subject of this design is a character constructed by thick wide bands of black. The figure has its head turned up with a face that seems to cry out in a plea. The face is shown with vacant space for an eye while an eye-like form appears floating just directly above. This striking and bold design is a bit mystifying, but its raw and unfiltered quality yields a direct response from the viewer.

Connoisseur's Note

This bold and striking design was executed in 1965. The work was featured as the cover piece for the CWAJ show catalog cover of the same year—an honor that was bestowed by a juried panel. Although the work was not produced in a limited edition run, it is unlikely the design was produced in a large quality based on the design’s scarcity in the marketplace.