Horizon B (Suihen B)
by Reika Iwami
- Date:
- 1973
- Medium:
- Woodblock print with gold foil
- Edition:
- Self-printed
- Source:
- Art Institute of Chicago
by Reika Iwami
$1,000–$8,000. Common prints: $1,000–$2,500. Key value factors: Iwami Reika's luminous abstract prints are among the most sought-after by female Japanese printmakers. Her cosmic and water-inspired works command the highest prices.
Horizon B (Suihen B), created in 1973, is a woodblock print with gold foil that addresses what became Iwami's signature subject: the horizontal line where water meets sky. The Japanese title Suihen literally means "water's edge" or "horizon over water," grounding the abstract image in a specific visual phenomenon. The gold foil application adds a reflective surface that changes appearance with the viewer's position and the ambient light, introducing an element of real-world luminosity into the printed image. This 1973 work belongs to Iwami's mature period, when she had fully committed to the horizon motif as a vehicle for exploring light, space, and the psychological effect of vast emptiness. The "B" designation suggests a companion piece, with each version offering a different reading of the same elemental subject.
1940
Woodblock print
1934
Color woodblock print; oban
Boshu Taikai
1925
Color woodblock print; oban
September 1931
Color woodblock print; oban
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Horizon B (Suihen B) was created by Reika Iwami (岩見禮花) in 1973.
Horizon B (Suihen B) depicts seascapes and abstract.
