Arts & Ideas Free Thinking - Japan and Korea. Hokusai
May 24, 2017
Tim Clark, curator at the British Museum, dives into Hokusai's revolutionary woodblock prints that captivated Edo's urban audience. He discusses the spiritual significance of Mount Fuji in Hokusai's work and his quest for immortality through art. Angus Lockyer, an expert in Japanese history, reflects on how Hokusai shapes Japan's national identity and artistic canon. Meanwhile, Charlotte Horlyck explores Korea's search for unique identity in art, highlighting the Dansaekhwa movement and the historical complexities of cultural representation.
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Hokusai Democratized Art
- Hokusai made colour woodblock prints cheaply accessible so almost anyone could buy them.
- He transformed landscape into a mass-market genre and used bold pigments like Prussian blue to innovate.
Everyday Life Meets Spiritual Power
- Hokusai infused everyday scenes with spiritual force, making ordinary people and objects feel alive.
- Mount Fuji functions as both a national spiritual fulcrum and a personal focus for his quest for longevity.
The Many Names Of Hokusai
- Hokusai repeatedly changed names and even took grandiose late-life names like 'Old Man Crazy to Paint.'
- He stamped late works with a '100' talisman, revealing his public quest for extended life and artistic immortality.
