Biography
Kazz Morishita is a contemporary Japanese printmaker and digital artist whose work captures the profound beauty of natural phenomena — moonlight, cherry blossoms, ocean waves, and expansive skies — through a fusion of photography, computer processing, and printmaking. Born in 1951 in Aichi Prefecture, Morishita demonstrated artistic talent from childhood, winning numerous painting contests throughout his youth.
Rather than following a conventional art school path, Morishita worked as an expo planner, where his ability to conceptualize intricate visual scenarios proved advantageous. Eventually, he pursued independent artistic expression full-time, driven by what he describes as 'an invisible force' compelling him toward art. His practice reflects the Japanese cultural tradition of deep connection with nature — he uses computer processing of his photographs to create his own world of beauty and harmony, striving to reveal the miracle of nature and its phenomena.
Morishita pays meticulous attention to printing materials, working on substrates ranging from traditional Japanese washi paper to aluminum, choosing the most expressive medium for each composition. His works capture the expanse of spaces either in meditative black and white or in bold splashes of colored light. His major series include SAKURA (cherry blossoms), SKY, Wave, LAND, Autumn, and OKINAWA, each exploring different aspects of Japan's natural landscape.
In 2018, Morishita launched his 'Kazz Moon' project, a series that combines his iconic moon imagery with modern architectural structures from world cities, creating poetic juxtapositions of the eternal and the contemporary. He received the Arte Laguna Photographic Art Department award in 2013 and an award from the Third International Biennial of Graphic Digital Arts in Gdynia, Poland in 2012.
Morishita has exhibited extensively, with solo shows at BUNKAMURA in Tokyo, Lebenson Gallery in Paris, and Medel Gallery SHU in Tokyo, as well as participation in international art fairs including SCOPE New York, London Art Fair, KIAF Seoul, Fotofever Paris, and Context Miami. He has published art books including 'Air' (2017) and 'SAKURA,' a poetry art book (2006). He is represented by Gallery G-77 and AN INC. in Seoul.
Key Facts
- Active Period
- 1951
- Nationality
- 🇯🇵Japan
- Movement
- Contemporary Mokuhanga
Frequently Asked Questions
Kazz Morishita is a contemporary Japanese printmaker and digital artist whose work captures the profound beauty of natural phenomena — moonlight, cherry blossoms, ocean waves, and expansive skies — through a fusion of photography, computer processing, and printmaking. Born in 1951 in Aichi Prefecture, Morishita demonstrated artistic talent from childhood, winning numerous painting contests throughout his youth.
Kazz Morishita was active born in 1951. They were associated with the Contemporary Mokuhanga movement.
Kazz Morishita's work was shaped by the Contemporary Mokuhanga tradition in Japanese woodblock printmaking. Contemporary Mokuhanga: Contemporary mokuhanga (literally "wood-block print") encompasses artists working from approximately 1970 to the present who continue or reinvent traditional Japanese woodblock printing techniques.
Kazz Morishita's prints frequently feature landscapes, night scenes, rivers & lakes, cherry blossoms, moonlight, nature.
Kazz Morishita is a contemporary printmaker contributing to the ongoing tradition of woodblock printing. Contemporary prints offer collectors an affordable entry point into Japanese printmaking. Prices range from $100 for smaller works to $1,500 for major compositions. Most prints sell in the $200–$600 range. The contemporary printmaking scene is active and international, with artists exhibiting at galleries, art fairs, and print biennials worldwide.
