KURACHI Hisashi

Professor, Aichi University of the Arts
Contrary to the weather forecast of warmer temperatures, the final round of the juried selection for the 68th CWAJ Print Show took place in Meguro, Tokyo, with a chill in the air.

This competition, which began shortly after the end of the war, is widely known as a historic and traditional event that has supported the development of Japanese contemporary printmaking since its early days. This year, there were over 400 entries in total, and after online judging decreased the number to 219 entries, our team made a final selection of 152 prints. All of the entries were of a very high standard in terms of formative ability, technical skill, and creativity, and it was very difficult to select the best among the many ambitious works.

In addition, the selection was conducted with a mixed team of Japanese and foreign women, and with English flying around the venue, it was a very unique experience for me to judge the works in an international atmosphere. I would definitely like to visit the fall exhibition and enjoy the artwork more thoroughly.

KUWAHARA Noriko

Art Historian
This was the second time in twenty years that I had the responsibility of judging the CWAJ Print Show. Since then, the judging process has been revised, the techniques of the artists have expanded, and the expressions have transformed. Printmaking is an artform that is directly impacted by the changing times. The 400 works that were submitted varied in size and style, and all of them were high in quality. Some of the artists have maintained a signature style; however, many artists submitted works with a challenging spirit. I am looking forward to the future exhibits of such artists with great anticipation.
In 2025, the CWAJ Print Show, which launched in 1956, will be approaching its 70th year. Since the first exhibition, the CWAJ Print Show has continued without any interruptions and is critical to Japan’s postwar print history. Going forward, I hope the Print Show will continue to seek new forms.

MACHIMURA Haruka

Curator, Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts
The CWAJ Print Exhibition is not only a printmaking competition, but also a unique project that serves to support CWAJ’s scholarship program. In speaking with the members of the print show team, I could sense their love for giving back to the exhibiting artists and promoting their careers. They also felt a strong sense of responsibility in selling the artists’ prints. During the juried competition, I encountered many provocative works. The highlights were works created using elaborate techniques and large works in which the artists attempted new developments. At the same time, I felt that the increase in the number of new artists would be a good stimulus to the regular exhibitors and further enliven the print exhibition. The percentage of international students in printmaking courses at art universities is increasing every year, and many of them continue to base themselves in Japan after graduation.
Since its establishment in 1949, CWAJ has supported women, whose educational opportunities are often limited, largely with the intention of fostering the next generation. We hope that CWAJ will continue to hold printmaking exhibitions in the future, working together with the next generation of artists.

MIZUSAWA Tsutomu

Art Historian, Art Critic
On how I judge prints. If we compare judging prints to sculptures, it requires close attention to detail. Of course, even for large sculptures that weigh many tons, the texture of the surface is one important component of expression. However, with prints, creating the surface of the print plate is critical. Even if the print plate weighs only a few grams, the work’s world takes shape there.
We narrowed down the number of pieces in the first round of judging, and in the second round of judging, we were able to view 219 works laid down flat in front of us. When viewing the prints in this way, the skillfulness and refinement of the techniques jumped out at me as the primary indicators of each piece’s quality. However, as I walked around and examined the prints multiple times, the way in which the works conveyed the artist’s worldview stood out to me. At that time, rather than the perfect finishing touches, the seemingly clumsy flaws and imperfections conveyed more of an energetic spirit. If the work is not right before your eyes, one cannot gain a sense of this.
The careful work of the office staff who set up the prints for us to judge was very helpful. I aimed to give high marks to the works that made me feel a sense of the artist’s worldview more so than those that displayed excellent technique.