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Koukei Tsuruya

Making multicolored woodblock prints all by himself
An independent woodblock artist

Born in Chigasaki City, Kanagawa in 1946 with the name Mitsui Gen.

After 22 years of producing kabuki actor prints at Kabukiza Theatre, the artist released a series of self-portraits "Loneliness," "Cat Kabuki" with love for his cat, and illusionistic "Five Subjects Dedicated to Arcimboldo."

He is now working on "Five Styles of Banzai-Ukiyoe," the series of portraits of Ukiyo-e artists.

Poster with real print displayed at Kabukiza Theatre, September 1978
Pencil self-portrait, September 2010
in America, February 2019

Photo Album

Age 33, 1980 Tsuruya Koukei Exhibition
At the opening party of my first solo exhibition
(Yoseido Gallery, Ginza)
Age 39, 1987 Student ID card of Keio University
Department of literature, correspondence course
(could not complete besides creation)
Age 40, 1987
With the art dealer Mr. Robert Sawers
(Conference room, Kabukiza Theatre)
Age 41, 1988 The 100th Anniversary of Kabukiza Theatre - Exhibition of Tsuruya Koukei
co-sponsored by Shochiku Co., Ltd.
With my great lifesaver (Matsuya Ginza)
Age 43, 1990 Tsuruya Koukei Exhibition
co-sponsored by Shochiku Co., Ltd.
(Kyoto Takashimaya)
Age 45, 1992 The 5th Tsuruya Koukei Exhibition
In front of the large piece (2x1m)
(Matsuya Ginza)
Age 48, 1995 At my atelier
(Tokyo)
Age 49, 1996 The 8th Tsuruya Koukei Exhibition
With my supporter (Matsuya Ginza)
Age 54, 2000 Special Exhibition - The Modern Sharaku: Collection of the Actor Prints by Tsuruya Koukei
(Hiraki Ukiyo-e Museum, Yokohama)
Age 55, 2002 In Nagasaki
Solo Shinkansen trip with stopovers
Age 57, 2003 The 13th Tsuruya Koukei Exhibition
In front of the portrait by order
(Matsuya Ginza)
Age 58, 2004 At my atelier with the president of Yamada Shoten
(Atami, Shizuoka)
Age 61, 2007 My passport
(moved to Chiba in this year)
Age 62, 2008 Tsuruya Koukei Exhibition
(Yamada Shoten Gallery, Jinbocho)
Age 66, 2013 Tsuruya Koukei Exhibition
With my first daughter and her son
(Citizens Gallery in Sakura City, Chiba)
Age 68, 2014 At Ise Jingu
(trip with the president of Yamada Shoten)
Age 69, 2015 At my atelier
(Chiba)
Age 70, 2016 At my Koki celebration party
(Tokyo)
Age 72, 2019 In America
At the interview
(USC Pacific Asia Museum)