Yuji Hiratsuka: Master Printmaker Blending East and West

Yuji Hiratsuka (b. 1954, Osaka, Japan) is an internationally recognized contemporary printmaker celebrated for his fusion of traditional Japanese aesthetics with Western techniques of drawing and printmaking. His work uniquely balances East and West, ancient and modern, creating a personal visual language that is at once whimsical, symbolic, and technically accomplished.

Hiratsuka studied at Tokyo Gakugei University, where he earned a B.A. in Art Education. His immersion in Japanese artistic traditions—particularly their emphasis on refined line, stylization, and symbolism—remains a defining influence in his work. In 1985, he moved to the United States, where he pursued advanced studies in printmaking, ultimately receiving his M.F.A. from Indiana University in 1990. This cross-cultural journey shaped both the subject matter and the technical foundation of his art.

His prints are distinguished by delicate, muted color palettes and the presence of stylized human figures that often resemble actors on a stage. These figures, with mask-like faces and elongated, contorted bodies, are set within surreal, decorative environments filled with patterned textiles, architectural elements, and everyday objects. While playful on the surface, the imagery frequently addresses themes of identity, cultural hybridity, and human interaction.

Technically, Hiratsuka works in intaglio and relief, layering methods to achieve subtle transparencies and textures. His process emphasizes both meticulous craftsmanship and a willingness to embrace improvisation, resulting in images that are visually refined yet dynamic.

Hiratsuka has exhibited extensively, with solo and group shows in the United States, Europe, Asia, and South America. His works have been acquired by prestigious public collections, including The British Museum in London, The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., The Portland Art Museum in Oregon, and The Art Institute of Chicago.

Now based in Oregon, where he is a professor of printmaking at Oregon State University, Hiratsuka continues to mentor the next generation of artists while expanding his own body of work. His career reflects a lifelong dialogue between cultural traditions, modern experimentation, and the timeless narrative potential of the human figure.