Biography
Yowsaku Sekino (関野洋作, born 1944) is a Japanese woodblock printmaker who carries forward the legacy of his father, Junichiro Sekino (1914-1988), a towering figure of the sosaku-hanga (creative print) movement. Born in Suginami-ku, Tokyo, as the second son of Junichiro and Katsuko Sekino, he took an unusual path to art, first graduating from Chuo University's School of Science and Technology in 1968 and working as a chemist at Shoketsu Metal Kogyo (SMC Corporation).
In 1971, Sekino switched careers to become the technical assistant to his father, learning the master printmaker's methods firsthand. In 1976, he opened his own European-style printing workshop where he assisted various artists while continuing to develop his own printmaking skills. By the early 1980s, he committed fully to his own artistic career, specializing in color woodblock printmaking.
Sekino's preferred subjects are flower arrangements rendered in light, pastel colors, a marked departure from his father's bolder, more graphic style. Many of his prints are distinguished by the technically demanding application of watercolor inks onto gold and platinum leaf, producing surfaces that shimmer with a luminous delicacy. He became active in the Shunyokai (Spring Principle Association) in 1984 and won numerous awards, including their 1988 Research Award and their 2004 Oka Award. At the 2015 opening reception of the 60th exhibition of the College Women's Association of Japan, Empress Michiko purchased his print "Sakura (Cherry Blossoms)" for the Imperial Palace. His work is represented by Art House SF and Saru Gallery.
Key Facts
- Active Period
- 1944
- Nationality
- 🇯🇵Japan
- Movement
- Contemporary Mokuhanga
- Subjects
- Birds & Flowers
- Works Indexed
- 2
Frequently Asked Questions
Yowsaku Sekino (関野洋作, born 1944) is a Japanese woodblock printmaker who carries forward the legacy of his father, Junichiro Sekino (1914-1988), a towering figure of the sosaku-hanga (creative print) movement. Born in Suginami-ku, Tokyo, as the second son of Junichiro and Katsuko Sekino, he took an unusual path to art, first graduating from Chuo University's School of Science and Technology in 1968 and working as a chemist at Shoketsu Metal Kogyo (SMC Corporation).
Yowsaku Sekino was active born in 1944. They were associated with the Contemporary Mokuhanga movement.
Yowsaku Sekino'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.
Yowsaku Sekino's prints frequently feature birds & flowers.
Original prints by Yowsaku Sekino can be found in collections including Art House SF Gallery, Panteek Gallery.
Yowsaku Sekino 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.