The ‘Master of Japanese Erotica’ comes to London

There’s no doubt at the work of Japanese artist Toshio Saeki is, at times, very much in the ‘NSFW’ camp. We’ve done our best, however, to show a selection of the most ‘office friendly’….

Later this month sees the opening of the first ever UK exhibition of work by Saeki, dubbed ‘the Master of Japanese Erotica.’

The selling show at east London’s Print House gallery will present a number of rare edition silkscreen, letterpress and offset prints as well as original ink works, some of which have never been seen outside of Japan.

And while the pieces are certainly, er, saucy, the 67- year-old artist is a well respected practitioner and about much more than just titillation.

Saeki’s refers to his technique as ‘Chinto’, a modern adaptation of the Ukiyo-e tradition of art practice, used from the 17th to 20th Century in Japan.

Inspired by Surrealism, Shunga, (Japanese Erotic Art from the Medieval period) and Western comics, while controversial, the works carry a disquieting sense of dark humour under the frequent depictions of subversive sexual acts and themes of repressed desire that have brought Saeki fame.

Toshio Saeki runs from 28 March – 1 May at The Print House Gallery, 18 Ashwin Street, London E8