\n Reception<
br />\n 4:30-6:00 Tuesday\, November 7
\n Fairbanks Gallery\n
\n Hiratsuka’s p rints are created by the intaglio printmaking process. This involves etchin g\, drypoint\, softground and roulette on a copper plate. He uses a four-co lor printing process (black\, yellow\,\n red and blue in order) on a thin Japanese Kozo (Mulberry) paper. As in the French use of the technique of †śChine Collé”\, he applies glue to the back of the completed work and pa ss it through the\n press with a heavier rag paper beneath.\n
\n\n Of his work Hiratsuka says\, “Japan is a land of contrasts. On the surfac e it appears that the culture of Japan has taken on thoroughly American and European characteristics\, but behind this Western\n façade\, Japan’s ancient and traditional philosophies have survived. I was raised in Japan a mong a mixture of eastern and western influences. For example\, Japanese ga rdens are cultivated high top\n thirty story Western skyscrapers and peopl e dine at a McDonald’s fast food restaurant or sip a cup of coffee at Sta rbucks while watching Sumou wrestling.”\n
\n\n “Althoug h my artwork is mainly considered representational\, I deal with more metap horical aspects rather than realistic physical evidence. The human body alo ng with other elements\; fruit\,\n vegetables\, furniture\, animals\, etc. have been my most recent focus. The enigmatic figures I draw are reflectio ns of such human conditions as\; wry\, satire\, whimsy\, irony\, paradox or mismatch that\n happens often in people’s daily lives. My figures also employ a state of motion or movement suggesting an actor/actress who narrat es a story in a play.”\n\n
\n Hiratsuka says that his int erest in printmaking is based on the unpredictable texture that is printed from the etched surface of the copper plate. He further states that\, “My prints explore the\n complex relationship of paper\, ink and etched plate s to describe my thoughts\, as well as the relationship which occurs betwee n figures and space to express other human experiences. I try to always\n investigate the maximum potential available to me as a printmaker.”\n
\n\n Hiratsuka is a highly prolific artist\, and has gained worldwide r ecognition for his prints. He has had numerous solo exhibits in internation al venues\, including Slovakia\, Bulgaria\, Germany\, Japan\,\n and Switze rland. His work is included in the collections of the British Museum in Lon don\; the Pañstwowe Museum Namajdanku in Poland\; the Tokyo Central Museum Musem in Tokyo\, Japan\; the Cincinnati\n Art Museum in Cincinnati\, Ohio \; the Portland Art Museum in Oregon\, and the New York Public Library in N ew York.\n
\n\n Yuji Hiratsuka is a Professor of Art at the Departme nt of Art at Oregon State University where he has taught printmaking since 1992. He earned his MFA in Printmaking from Indiana University in\n Bloomi ngton in 1990\, a MA farom the New Mexico State University in Las Cruces in 1987\, and a BS from Tokyo Gakugei University\, Koganei-shi\, Tokyo\, Japa n in 1978.\n
\n\n Fairbanks Gallery is open to the public weekdays\, 8am-5pm. The exhibition continues through November 29.\n
\n\n For m ore information: Douglas Russell (541) 737-5009 or drussell@oregonstate.edu \n
DTSTART:20061108T003000Z DTEND:20061108T020000Z LOCATION:Fairbanks Gallery X-OSU-ADDRESS:220 SW 26th Street X-OSU-CITY:Corvallis X-OSU-CONTACT-DEPT:Art Department X-OSU-CONTACT-EMAIL:leeann.mcgill@oregonstate.edu X-OSU-CONTACT-PHONE:1 541 737 4745 X-OSU-COST:Free X-OSU-LOCATION:Fairbanks Hall X-OSU-STATE:OR X-OSU-SUBTITLE:Exhibition of Recent Works LAST-MODIFIED:20061030T221347Z CREATED:20061018T220924Z DTSTAMP:20061018T220924Z CONTACT:Lee Mc Gill END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR