EDO POP "EMILY ALLCHURCH"

  Japan Society Gallery exhibited Edo Pop: The Graphic Impact of Japanese Print, this exhibition shows juxtaposition between contemporary art and works, which has style of ukiyo-e woodblock print, of Edo period (165-1868). Some contemporary artist reinterpreted historical works into modern style. This exhibition clearly represents the characteristic of Edo works by compraing original work and new one. (qtd. in Edo pop)

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858),
Iris Garden at Horikir

Emily Allchurch (b. 1974), Tokyo Story 1

Emily Allchurch has been interested in interpretation of old famous work into the contemporary art. The artist was fascinated from  Utagawa Hiroshige's work especially about "reductive compositions, velocity of lines, authenticty, and power"(qtd. in Edo pop 7). Also, she said, "how artist make their physical and metaphysical journeys when working"(qtd. in Edo pop 7). Although Hiroshige didn't know all of places of background of his work, he could be good at expressing of surrounding of everyday life and humor in his background of work.

 The artist went to Japan to follow Hiroshige's footsteps after she learned about all images in Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo and selected 25 images. She tried to keep a foreigner's point of view when he traveled. This process made her have extended mind which was composed of a new memory or new narrative from too narrow her personal memories. She indicated that "Hiroshige turned his meisho-e (pictures of famous places) into a kind of portrait". elements of humor and humanism. She would like to be evaluated from Hiroshige as a artist who has similar spirit. (qtd. in Edo pop 7)

Emily Allchurch transformed Utagawa's works into her style, keeping entire composition and atmosphere of original work. Comparing both work, in Emily's work, it depicts changes of Tokyo's city view. And it has more clear realistic expression about objects by using transparency on light box. She might want to express some different feeling in that position comparing with prior work, following Utagawa's foot step. (qtd. in Edo pop 7)