Edo Pop

  Paul Binnie is ukiyo-e style artist. While he was studying in France for few years, he got interested in ukiyo-e printings and started to collect them. He decided to go Japan in 1993 to learn more about ukiyo-e. The part of ukiyo-e that attracted Paul was low techinque which doesn't require acid or press machines. Paul said, "there is intinmacy in this method." (qtd. in "Edo Pop" pg. 8) Because there was no need to use complicate tools, this low-technique painting was comfortable to him.

  He also interested in 'modern print movement' which was called 'sosaku hanga' in Japan. Ukiyo-e printing requires desinger, carver, printer, and publisher, but 'modern print movement' needs only one person who does all the four techniques instead of four people work together. Paul wanted to use those four skills smoothly, but it was not easy for him to show full high quality unlike classical style.(qtd. in "Edo Pop" pg. 8)

Paul changed point of view of ukiyo-e to creat his style. He used different inspiration , matrial, and tools such as poppy  colors, powdered metals. When we see his printing "A Hundred Shades of Ink of Edo", he has really unique style. His printing gives more 3D shape by puting shades unlike classical printings. It's cleary to see actions and live in the printings. And I think, because he is not from Asia, his printings are influence by western style of drawing human. Compare to classic printings and his printings, the person in his printing has reaslistic shape includes details of muscle. This small differnet on his printings give sense of closeness.