Nishijima, Katsuyuki

Katsuyuki Nishijima was born in 1945 in Yamaguchi Prefecture. He began studying woodblock printing with Mikumo publishing house in Kyoto at the age of 19. Early in his career he experimented with stencil dyeing and various forms of printing before focusing on woodblock printmaking in the Sosaku Hanga or “creative print” style.

Katsuyuki Nishijima’s work is popular and accessible, portraying a romantic, traditional vision of Japan: old buildings with umbrellas, rain, snow and wind, and even a contemporary take on the series “Sixty-Nine Stations of the Kisokaido” by Hiroshige. His mastery of intriguing angles and the intricate play of light and color in his work distinguish Nishijima among Japanese contemporary woodblock print artists.