Haku maki biography books

MAKI Haku

Born: 1924 in Ibaragi Prefecture, died in 2000
Medium: Wood and Cement Block Relief

Maki was a versatile artist who often combined several techniques. He was first known for the use of Chinese characters or kanji.

Starting with the original pictograph, he stylized the calligraphy into a bold statement, with an eye for its beauty and compositional possibilities.

Haku maki biography books

Maki often used cement on his woodblocks, which can be worked, when wet, into intriguing textures for embossing.

Later in his career, Maki shifted his focus to smaller works, with persimmons and other fruit, or ceramic teacups, bowls and bottles as the predominant themes.

He still used the cement block technique allowing rich textural effects, creating a three-dimensional appearance.

In each of his nearly 2000 different prints, this modern Japanese master offers a very focused view of his subject.

Backgrounds are of minor importance, and the subject dominates, whether kanji, persimmon, or ceramic.

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