Utagawa Kunimasa was born in Katsushika Ward, Tokyo, in 1978. In 2000, he became a disciple of Toyokuni Utagawa VI. Due to the sudden death of Utagawa VI, however, he taught himself ukiyoe of so-called ‘Utagawa Style’. Up to date he has been active creating various artworks and holding both his individual and group exhibitions. One of his recent activities includes the Utagawa group exhibition in Ginza art space in October 2006.
Since the summer of 2007, he has been playing a role of producing the ukiyoe for the film titled ‘Miyagino’ which features Sharaku. Most recently, he held his individual exhibition in Ginza Fuso gallery in February 2008.
Ukiyoe carries the image of traditional paintings that depict women and kabuki actors.However, ukiyo means ‘modern’ or ‘contemporary style’, and painters at that time described what was ‘now’ of Edo.Distinguished painters in those days, drifted on the waves of time, challenged themselves attempting to produce new expressions beyond the existing frameworks .
I wish to continue my enveavour to express ‘now’ that I feel and ‘future’ that I imagine, while inheriting the rich, past traditions.