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Japanese Exchange: Looking at Cultural Exchange Through shin-hanga Woodblock Prints, 2020

Abstract

It is easy to forget that while the Western nations were undergoing and experiencing a wide range of advancements during the industrial revolution, other countries around the world were undergoing similar advancements. The Japanese art medium of ukiyo-e began in the 1600s and serves as a classic example of the kinds of advancements occurring in Japan in how it was mass-produced, easily accessible, and readily affordable for all people, especially the working class. During this time of advancement included engagement with the technological advancements occurring in the West. The development of the shin-hanga style of woodblock prints which came as a result of that research through adoption of certain Western techniques that were then incorporated into the existing form of Japanese art that is still recognized and admired today. Despite Western artists like Degas, Monet, and Cassat creating what is considered “Modern” art, they were influenced by the woodblock prints coming out of Japan; considered to be a “primitive” nation. This instance of cultural exchange occurring at this time of global economic growth acts as a microcosm of how this advancement within Non-Western communities is largely ignored by the West or simply attributed to exposure to Western culture. Through examining the critical theory topics of Orientalism and Imperialism, we can understand where this concept of “otherness” comes from and why it is deeply ingrained in how we think about Non-Western cultures.