Shikoku Views


Offsite & Online
Shikoku Views
Amy Uyeda
September 16, 2016 – October 15, 2016

Amy Uyeda is a Toronto-based printmaker who works primarily with colour lithography. Amy holds a BFA from Queen’s University and has printed at Gravity Press in North Adams, Massachusetts, The Glasgow School of Art, and St. Michael’s Printshop in St. John’s, Newfoundland. A dedication to mastering the art of lithography is what drives her work.

Uyeda’s lithographic practice is inspired by the architectural and natural landscape of places she has travelled. My most recent prints reflect the experiences she gained from living in Shikoku, Japan and its unique landscape. Shikoku is famous for The Pilgrimage of 88 Temples, making it a site of spiritual importance. This centuries-old pilgrimage is traditionally walked on foot; there is an ever-present awareness of the topography of the land for those walking the trail and observers alike. She is interested in further exploring ideas about how people interact with their natural environments.

Living among the mountains in Shikoku allowed Uyeda to understand the land in different visual planes, which has influenced the composition of her prints. She uses imagery that typifies Shikoku—such as wooden structures, flora and mikan oranges—as inspiration for new ways of exploring texture and colour through lithography. This series makes use of Japanese papers and tissues, some of which were made in Shikoku, allowing the materials to inform the work as well.