Mokuhanga: Histories, Practices and New Perspectives in Japanese Woodblock Printing

Over eight lectures, this online course will explore Japanese woodblock printing from shin hanga and sōsaku hanga to contemporary practice.

Japanese woodblock printing (mokuhanga) is one of Japan’s most celebrated artistic traditions, yet its history extends far beyond the familiar world of Ukiyo-e. This eight-week short course explores the evolution of woodblock printing from its historical foundations to the innovative practices of modern and contemporary artists, examining how the medium has been adapted, challenged and reimagined across periods and cultural contexts.

Through lectures by invited specialists, including curators of recent exhibitions, the course will explore the development of shin hanga (new prints) and sōsaku hanga (creative prints), two influential movements that transformed Japanese printmaking in the twentieth century. It will consider the roles of publishers, artists and changing audiences, as well as the contributions of Western artists and practitioners who engaged with shin hanga and Japanese woodblock-printing traditions in the early twentieth century.

The course will also feature contributions from practising mokuhanga artists, offering first-hand insights into the materials, techniques and creative decisions involved in making prints today. These sessions will illuminate the relationship between traditional knowledge and contemporary experimentation, and relate to questions of artistic identity, collaboration, and innovation.

Drawing on art-historical perspectives, curatorial insights, and practitioners’ experiences, the course offers a rich introduction to mokuhanga as both a historically significant art form and a living, evolving medium. It will appeal to anyone interested in Japanese art, printmaking, modern art, and the international circulation of artistic ideas.

The course is offered by the SOAS-Alphawood Asian Art Programme and convened by Dr Monika Hinkel (Associate Lecturer in History of Art, SOAS, and co-convenor of the Arts of Japan & Korea Module for the SOAS-Alphawood Asian Art Programme).