Artist Talk with Masami Teraoka
Masami Teraoka standing in front of 'Kunisada eclipsed' at Tyler Graphics Ltd., Mount Kisco, New York, 1992
Gift of Kenneth Tyler 2002
Photographer: Marabeth Cohen-Tyler
Free, bookings essential.
Duration: 60 mins including Q&A.
‘In my work, I try to express my feelings about the two diverse cultures that influenced me. My mentors were both ukiyo-e artists of Edo, Japan, and American Pop artists of the nineteen sixties.’
Join Masami Teraoka for an artist talk to celebrate the opening of the exhibition Masami Teraoka and Japanese Ukiyo-e Prints.
Masami Teraoka is a Japanese born artist who lives and works in Hawai’i. He is known for his unique fusion of historic art styles with contemporary themes.
Born in 1936, he initially studied Aesthetics in Japan, before moving to Los Angeles in 1961 to further his artistic training. Teraoka’s immersion in American culture profoundly influenced him artistically and personally, and he became an insightful observer and commentator of Japanese and American culture.
From the early 1970s he adopted the traditional visual vocabulary of Edo period (1603–1868) Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, combining it with elements of American Pop Art to reflect on issues such as globalisation, collisions between Asian and Western cultures and the AIDS crisis.
From the mid-1990s Teraoka shifted his style again, adopting the style of European Renaissance paintings to address issues such as the abuse in the Catholic Church. This exhibition presents key examples of Teraoka’s works in the ukiyo-e style alongside historic ukiyo-e prints, delving into their visual, strategic and thematic connections.
Masami Teraoka and Japanese Ukiyo-e prints is on display in Gallery 26 from 21 Sep 2024–6 Jul 2025.
Accessibility
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Information to help you plan your visit is available on the National Gallery website.
This program is wheelchair accessible. Mobility aids, such as motorised scooters, wheelchairs, and wheelie walkers are available on request from the information desk. Call +61 2 6240 6411 or email information@nga.gov.au to book a motorised scooter in advance.
A Hearing Loop System is installed at the Gallery, covering the Main Entrance, James Fairfax Theatre and Tim Fairfax Learning Studio.
