Masato Arikushi is the master printer who worked in close collaboration with Takao Tanabe, Mary Pratt, E.J. Hughes and other distinguished artists to produce their important woodcut editions. Born in Hokkaido, Japan, Arikushi trained in the Japanese woodblock printing process under Toshi Yoshida in Tokyo. In 1980, he immigrated to Canada, where he resides today.

Mary Pratt writes in her artist’s statement for her 2004 exhibition at the MacKenzie Art Gallery:

“The most unexpected delight has been my association with Masato Arikushi in the making of the series of prints we call ‘Transformations.’ I found an artisan who understood my ideas so well that he needed little input from me once he had studied the paintings I provided. Gradually his own ideas melded with my original images, and I detected his own imagery inserting itself into my own. I liked that. It all fit.”

This lot is part of the Transformations series of prints, which consists of 10 original woodcuts in an edition of 75 each, executed over an eight-year period.

Please note: this work is unframed.