Stretch

Stretch takes a physical action as its title: the elongation of a material or body beyond its resting state. Stretching implies tension, the resistance of a substance being pulled toward its limits. In the context of woodblock printing, the concept resonates with the paper itself, which is dampened before printing and expands slightly, then contracts as it dries, permanently altered by the process.

This woodblock print translates the kinetic and tensile qualities of stretching into visual form. Extended shapes, elongated marks, or compositional elements that reach toward the edges of the paper may embody the title's physical metaphor. Amano's carving technique, which involves cutting away wood to create the shapes that will print, is itself a form of extension, as each gouge extends the carved area further into the block's surface. The finished print records these accumulated extensions as a visual field where tension and release coexist.