Untitled

A second untitled mokuhanga in Kate Milford's catalogue, produced within the contemporary North American studio practice that has coalesced around the International Mokuhanga Conference. Untitled compositions are common in this circle, where artists trained in Western printmaking traditions adopt the Japanese water-based woodblock method primarily for its tonal subtlety and the tactile presence of [washi](/glossary/washi) rather than to continue Edo-period pictorial genres. Technical features that distinguish such work include [kento](/glossary/kento) registration notches cut directly into the block edges, the use of nori (rice paste) to bind pigment to the block, and the manual pressure of the [baren](/glossary/baren), which produces an even ink layer without the embossing of Western relief presses. Multiple impressions from successive blocks build up color, with [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) gradations applied wet-on-block by brush. Without reproduction or exhibition title, this print is documented through its placement within Milford's working body and the IMC juried exhibition record.