Japanese prime cuts

It's no secret that China and Japan have had a rocky history, which is undoubtedly one of the key reasons why Ukiyo-e, an iconic form of Japanese wood-block painting, has been overlooked in China.

Ukiyo-e (translated as "pictures of the floating world") dates back as far as the Edo period (1603 to 1868), and was one of the first art forms in Japan that could be mass-produced for public consumption.

Pan Li, associate professor of the School of Art at the Renmin University of China, said that there have been periods of Chinese history when Ukiyo-e was despised by artists in Beijing. He himself however, appeared delighted during the opening ceremony of an exhibition entitled Peeping into Corners Centuries Ago last Friday, at the Upstairs Club in Chaoyang district.

Ukiyo-e represents many facets of Japanese life and history, some of which comes from the underbelly of Japanese society. Different people choose to see different things, said Pan, an expert on Japanese art and author of the Chinese language book Ukiyo-e which was published in 2007.

"Some casual visitors might be curious about or interested in the Ukiyo-e pictures which depict courtesans and prostitution," Pan said. "The more interested visitors are able to study the unique characterizations and bearing, the assortment of colors and patterns, and the techniques used in painting, carving or coloring," he explained. "Even historians make use of Ukiyo-e pictures to study what life was like during that period."

Using works lent from a Japanese gallery, over 20 centuries-old original works are on display in Beijing, offering a rare opportunity for the locals to understand the art and the prosperous urban life of the Tokyo of ages past.

The 25 pieces include works by popular Japanese artists of old, including Kitagawa Utamaro, Utagawa Kuniyoshi and Katsushika Hokusai.

"Ukiyo-e is often considered an encyclopedia of the Edo period and their social lives were recorded in these art works. This makes them an ideal way to learn about folk life and art at that time," said Pan.

Later, with the growth of trade between Japan and Western countries, the prints, were considered to be secular and for lower class people. They were used as wrapping papers for trading goods. In this way they made their way overseas, where they were appreciated by European artists and became a source of inspiration for Impressionist, Cubist, and Post-Impressionist artists. However, with the advance of machine printing, the handmade art works disappeared.

Pan said that because the Ukiyo-e techniques used wood-block printing techniques, many Chinese artists refused to acknowledge that Ukiyo-e was a separate art form, arguing that it had been pioneered in China. Pan admits the art form has been suffering from flagging interest in China, though he hoped the elaborate techniques used in Ukiyo-e might rejuvenate interest in Chinese wood-block printing.

Ding Youqiu, a 27-year-old fashion designer who has her own brand of women's clothing, was enthralled by the imagery. "The colors, usually gray, with matching colors and a high degree of saturation, are very comfortable to look at. Unlike a lot of clothing today which has very bright or loud colors," said Ding.

When: Until July 15

Where: Room 4D1, Block A, Hairun International Apartment ,No.B2, Jiangtailu, Chaoyang district

Admission: Free

Contact: 5247-6992