Actor Danjuro XII 1985

Tsuruya Kokei (born Mitsui Gen) began producing carved and printed kabuki (traditional Japanese theatre) actor prints in 1978. At first, these were unfavourably received by the Japanese artistic 'establishment', but fortunately Kokei was encouraged and supported by the patron Nagayama Takeomi, who held a chairman-like role over kabuki in Tokyo, and helped Kokei to win public recognition. Kokei produced approximately one print per month of an actor appearing in Tokyo kabuki. Each image is part of an edition of less than 75 images. After the production of each edition, the artist's block was destroyed. Initially influenced by the great kabuki images of late eighteenth-century print designer Toshusai Sharaku, Kokei's work is more abstract in its composition, while his portrayal of actors has become refined and stylised. The exaggerated grimaces and other extreme facial expressions which we anticipate in Kokei's work are the result of centuries of ritualised mannerisms of kabuki theatre.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />