Paul Binnie

Scottish artist Paul Binnie is among the most accomplished foreigners to master the Japanese art of woodblock printing. His interest in ukiyo-e was piqued while a student at the Edinburgh College of Art. In 1993 the artist moved to Tokyo, working as an apprentice to printmaker Seki Kenji. Many of Binnie’s subjects hark back to his time in Japan, where he lived until 1998. He frequently portrays Noh and Kabuki theater actors and is also well known for his bijinga—erotic prints of women, often nude—landscapes, and depictions of elaborate tattoos. Another notable aspect of Binnie’s work is his technical aplomb. He employs two print styles: shin hanga, involving a collaborative process between the artist, woodcarver, printer, and publisher; and sōsaku hanga, or creative prints, where the artist is the sole creator of all aspects of the work.