Art Exhibit. Four Seasons by Hajime Namiki

Kenichi Kuriyagawa depicts his beloved Hokkaido island in a set of futuristic landscapes from a distant, unspoiled planet.

We are honored to present this series of 20 silkscreen prints by the "Father of Hokkaido design," Kenichi Kuriyagawa.

Kenichi Kuriyagawa was a Japanese graphic designer from Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan’s main islands. He was known for creating posters for Japan's 1972 Winter Olympic Games in Sapporo, the first ever in Asia, as well as numerous travel and tourism posters for Hokkaido.

Although these prints were made in 1988, they look so modern in 2025. They resemble something generated by ChatGPT, with a distinctly AI feel to them. They also seem like the futuristic landscapes from Japanese anime, set on distant, unspoiled planets.

Yet, they are not AI. They are just so ahead of their time. They are modern, yet serene, cinematic, and romantic. Kenichi's love is shining through them. As he said so eloquently:

"I love the trees, the leaves, the flowers, the birds of my land, and I have a deep affection for every nameless wild plant and its modest, simple, delicate flower.

There is nothing that I don't love.”

Please see 20+ silkscreen prints in person at our closing reception on Saturday, August 23, 2025.

You can also visit the gallery during our regular business hours before the closing reception (Wed-Sat 11-7, Sun 11-5).

All artworks are available for purchase.

About Art House SF Gallery

A San Francisco art gallery on a mission to introduce more people to eclectic art from the most remote and undiscovered parts of the world. We're located in the famous Castro District - a neighborhood of freedom, acceptance, creativity and diversity.

2324 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94114

Hours: Wed-Sat 11-7, Sun 11-5

info@arthousesf.com | www.arthousesf.com | @arthousesf

About the artist:

Kenichi Kuriyagawa (1911–1999) was a self-taught Japanese graphic designer and printmaker, renowned for his profound influence on modern design in Hokkaido and beyond.

He began his design career in 1948. At a time when Japan was rebuilding its cultural image after World War II, Kuriyagawa’s works contributed significantly to promoting regional pride and tourism.

In 1956, his works were showcased in the Japanese Graphic Design Exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York.

“I love the trees, the leaves, the flowers, the birds of my land, and I have a deep affection for every nameless wild plant and its modest, simple, delicate flower.”

To emphasize the dynamic nature and vastness of Hokkaido, he used an extreme composition that emphasized perspective and a bird’s-eye view to create a dramatic impression, and also incorporated cinematic techniques such as long shots and emphasis on light and dark.

Kenichi Kuriyagawa remains a seminal figure in the evolution of modern Japanese design. His pioneering approach — merging local cultural identity with global modernist aesthetics — laid the groundwork for regional design movements within Japan.