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Title

Cat Town I

1991

Artist

Kanaida Etsuko

Japan

1955 –

No image

  • Details

    Alternative title
    Neko machi I
    Place where the work was made
    Japan
    Period
    Heisei period 1989 - → Japan
    Date
    1991
    Media category
    Print
    Materials used
    collagraph
    Edition
    1/20
    Dimensions
    61.5 x 79.0 cm image; 69.0 x 91.0 cm sheet
    Signature & date

    Signed l.r., pencil "E Kanaida". Not dated.

    Credit
    Gift of the artist 1993
    Location
    Not on display
    Accession number
    428.1993
    Artist information
    Kanaida Etsuko

    Works in the collection

    1

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  • About

    Kanaida depicts on thick paper an imaginary fantasy town inhabited only by cats. For the Japanese cats are rich in magical and folkloric associations; the cat has long been credited with mysterious supernatural powers, and there are many and varied folk stories about cats. Images of the 'maneki neko' (beckoning cat), with one paw raised, are to be seen in doorways and windows all over Japan, serving as mascots to entice riches and good fortune inside. Since cats often appear as ghosts or goblins, Kanaida's print also could be seen as a metaphor for a ghost town. Recently in metropolitan Japan, cats have assumed a more poignant significance as companions for people living alone in busy cities. These historical and modern associations of the cat form the warp and weft of Kanaida's original image.

    Kanaida lives in Tokyo, having been educated at Tama Art University and born in Yamanashi.

    Jackie Menzies, Contemporary Japanese Prints: The Urban Bonsai, 1992, pg. 53.

  • Places

    Where the work was made

    Japan

  • Exhibition history

    Shown in 1 exhibition

    • The Urban Bonsai, Queensland Art Gallery, South Brisbane, 04 Mar 1992–04 May 1992

      The Urban Bonsai, National Art Gallery, Wellington, Wellington, 20 Jun 1992–09 Aug 1992

      The Urban Bonsai, Christchurch Art Gallery, Christchurch, 12 Sep 1992–29 Oct 1992

      The Urban Bonsai, Manawatu Art Gallery, New Zealand, 13 Nov 1992–10 Jan 1993

      The Urban Bonsai, The George Adams Gallery, Victorian Arts Centre, Melbourne, 18 Mar 1993–25 Apr 1993

      The Urban Bonsai, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 08 May 1993–01 Aug 1993

      The Urban Bonsai, Penrith Regional Gallery & The Lewers Bequest, Emu Plains, 11 Mar 1994–24 Apr 1994

      The Urban Bonsai, Drill Hall Gallery, Australian National University, Canberra, 19 May 1994–19 Jun 1994

      The Urban Bonsai, Campbelltown Arts Centre, Campbelltown, 15 Jul 1994–21 Aug 1994

      The Urban Bonsai, Bank Art Museum Moree, Moree, 11 Nov 1994–24 Dec 1994

      The Urban Bonsai, Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre, Murwillumbah, 01 Feb 1995–05 Mar 1995

  • Bibliography

    Referenced in 1 publication