Paul Binnie

Scottish, b. 1967

Luna

signed in sumi ink at upper left, Bin-ni, followed by silver circular artist's seal, BINNIE, numbered, titled, and signed in pencil on the bottom margin, 20/20, LUNA Paul Binnie, ca. 2020

13 1/4 by 14 5/8 in., 33.7 by 37.1 cm

Commissioned by Rhiannon Paget, the Asian Art Curator at the The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Luna was featured as part of their 2021 exhibition and acompanying catalog, Saito Kiyoshi: Graphic Awakening, celebrating the prominent sosaka hanga artist Saito Kiyoshi (1907-1997). Binnie was also invited to contribute an essay detailing his printmaking process in creating this work, and the blocks and various process prints related to Luna were displayed in the museum for the duration of the exhibition.

Luna was made using the same hanshita (keyblock proof) that that was used to create Nemesis, the calico cat in Binnie's 2019 release, however, despite the striking green eyes that both cats share, there are significant changes to the overall design. Luna is snow white, and while he does not have stripes like Nemesis, the texture of his fur is depicted with karazuri (blind printing) throughout, and rather than contemplating a bright pink ball of yarn, he peers at the glowing moon below.

In homage to Saito and in keeping with the abstract expressionist style of sosaku hanga (lit. creative prints), Binnie utilized mokume-zuri (wood grain) printing to create the patterning of the cushion. The mokume-zuri technique amplifies the natural grain of the wood block to add patterns and textures to a print and was used extensively by Saito in his own work. In order to emphasize the affect, Binnie located a large block of weathered cedar that would bring out the harder lines of the grain, and he selected a section with a well-defined knot. The rough and irregular surface required much more ink and nori than usual for printing, which he deftly printed in bokashi (gradation of color).

This work was produced in an extremely small edition of only twenty numbered prints, the first one of which has entered the collection of the Ringling Museum. Available impressions may be acquired exclusively through Scholten Japanese Art.

Reference:
Rhiannon Paget, et. al., Saito Kiyoshi: Graphic Awakening, The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, 2020, p. 32-41

(inv. no. C-3180)

price: $900