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To avoid ruining his reputation as a boundary-pushing abstract artist, Tajima used the pseudonym “Nagai Kiyoshi” to sell his commercial prints, which were popular with tourists and American soldiers stationed in Japan after WWII. Westerners were drawn to the vibrant colors and shapes inspired by European avant-garde movements like Abstract Expressionism. The prints often depicted traditional Japanese landscapes or motifs, such as the Buddhist temple in this piece. It is unknown if the pictured temple was inspired by a real location, further suggesting that foreigners were the target audience. Like most of the other twentieth-century artists in this exhibition, Tajima was involved in the sōsaku hanga (creative print) movement. Unlike the traditional division of labor between designer, woodblock carver, printer, and publisher, these artists handled all aspects of the production of the woodblock print by themselves.Label Type
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Label written by Shannon TonettaLabel Type
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Gift of the Friends of Art Collection at Saint Joseph’s University