Statement

Grab at a Cloud originated from a peculiar encounter in which Shinichi Kaneko’s research theme, Interconnectedness, overlapped with the depiction of hands and feet in ukiyo-e shunga. Upon encountering a shunga book by chance, his attention narrowed exclusively to the entangled limbs, marking the initial perspective and early impulse that would shape his practice.

In this series, hands and feet function as a metaphor for the relationships through which the world is formed. The original shunga images are partially obscured by drawn clouds, symbolizing the uncertain and elusive nature of reality produced by these relationships. When viewed against the light, the original images emerge behind the clouds. Through this structure, relationships are first visualized through drawing, then passed through, allowing the image to return to its original artist as an act of homage.

The series reinterprets ukiyo-e woodblock techniques through contemporary technology. The carving process is executed digitally, while the printing is carried out using risograph, layering colors in a manner that recalls the tactile qualities, misalignments, and material presence of traditional woodblock printing.

A viewer holds the framed work up to the light, revealing the original shunga image through drawn clouds. Grab at a Cloud expresses the initial shock of Kaneko’s encounter with shunga, focusing on hands and feet, and uses a specially constructed frame to let obscured images re-emerge as an homage.