Cover image Katsutoshi Yuasa, ‘Nature Communications 2’, 2022. Oil-based woodcut on paper
Gallery Weekend Berlin
02.05 - 04.05
Opening hours
Tue - Sat
12:00 - 18:00
Opening reception
Wed 30. April
18:00 - 21:00
Artist talk
Sat 03. May
12:00
Location
BBA Gallery Köpenicker Str 96 10179 Berlin
Katsutoshi Yuasa, On the dawn of night and fog #1
Katsutoshi Yuasa, On the dawn of night and fog #2
Katsutoshi Yuasa, On the dawn of night and fog #3
BBA Gallery is pleased to present "Imagemaker," a solo exhibition showcasing the exceptional printmaking of Katsutoshi Yuasa. Yuasa's work transcends the conventional role of print as mere reproduction, elevating it to a distinct image medium. He challenges the relative lack of critical discourse around print compared to photography and painting, suggesting this stems from its perceived absence of inherent philosophy. For Yuasa, printmaking is not simply a technical skill or tradition; it is a unique way of visualising and symbolising the world, akin to creating a printing plate from reality itself. This perspective emphasises the medium's capacity to engage with sight, perception, and memory, mirroring the brain's processes of input and output.
Yuasa's meticulous woodcut technique confronts the immediacy of contemporary photography, transforming captured moments into meticulously crafted, static images. His prints, deceptively photographic at first glance, are the product of an intensely laborious and "reversed engineering" process. This deliberate slowing of image creation invites contemplation on our relationship with time and nature, and the deluge of digital and physical imagery that saturates our world.
Furthermore, Yuasa explores the indirect nature of printmaking, highlighting its ability to capture chance occurrences and incorporate them into artistic expression. He argues that our perception is shaped by past experiences and environmental influences, making the printing plate a representation of the past adapted to the present. In this light, printmaking becomes a visualisation of memory, a medium bridging past and present. Yuasa believes that viewing print as an image medium raises profound philosophical questions about our existence and the purpose of its innovation—to communicate vital ideas to a broad audience. Ultimately, his work reflects on humanity's precarious relationship with nature and the urgent need to contemplate our legacy for future generations.
Through his masterful woodcuts, Yuasa explores themes of balance and environmental consciousness, prompting viewers to reconsider our impact on the natural world.
About the Artist:
Katsutoshi Yuasa (b. 1978, Japan) is a printmaker whose work investigates the essence of photography through the discipline of woodcut. He holds an MA in Printmaking from the Royal College of Art, London, and has exhibited globally, including solo shows at Lawrence Art Center, Kansas, and Gallery YUKI-SIS, Tokyo. His work is held in prestigious collections such as the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art Leipzig. Yuasa lives and works in Kanagawa prefecture and lectures at Tama Art University. He has also completed residencies at institutions including Graphic Studio Dublin, Cité Internationale des Arts, and Kala Art Institute.
Katsutoshi Yuasa, Between man and matter #3
Katsutoshi Yuasa, It’s witten in the stars