Defining the Edge

Kean uses the multi-block mokuhanga process to explore the precise, carved boundary between one form and another. Each block contributes a distinct color field or textural passage, and the registration of those blocks determines where edges align, overlap, or leave a gap. On kozo washi, which retains a soft tooth that slightly diffuses ink, the edge between printed areas becomes a zone of subtle transition rather than a hard mechanical line. The work reflects a sustained preoccupation common to mokuhanga practitioners trained in both Western and Japanese traditions: the degree to which the tools, materials, and sequential printing order govern formal outcomes independent of the artist's drawn intention.