Medium: Woodblock
Dimensions: 7 7/8 x 7 7/8 inches (Image) 10 5/8 x 10 5/8 inches (Sheet)
Signature: Signed
Artist details: Japanese, 1940
Edition: of 30

Recommended by Nikki (Fine Print Photographer / Marketing and Digital Content Specialist):

Aoki’s woodcuts have a delightful charm. ‘Everyone on Earth 2’ breaks away from the traditional rectangular woodblock shape and playfully pulls viewers into its circular shape. Inside the circle, there are silhouettes of people in exaggerated poses that make the piece feel kinetic. Aoki’s world full of people has a liveliness to it that is captivating and lightens any mood.

Medium: Woodcut
Dimensions: 8 x 8 inches (Image) 11 1/2 x 10 3/4 inches (Sheet)
Signature: Signed
Artist details: Japanese, 1940
Edition: of 30

Recommended by Nikki (Art Photographer / Marketing and Exhibitions Specialist):

Aoki is so good at showcasing the human experience.To me, this piece encapsulates so much of the dynamic between anyone in relation to another. It could be between two coworkers, two friends, two lovers, two family members, or two strangers. The focus is on two fingers pointing at one another, accusingly, but the space between their curved bodies and their defensive opposite hands tell more of the story. It’s what isn’t said and how our bodies react to another’s accusations that tend to fill up negative space in a relationship.

Signature: Signed
Artist details: Japanese, 1940
Edition: of 35
Condition: Artist's pen mark at upper left corner.

Medium: Woodblock
Dimensions: 20 7/8 x 15 inches
Signature: Signed
Artist details: Japanese, 1940
Date finished: 2004
Edition: of 30

Recommended by Emma (Marketing & Communications Manager):
"Aoki's work often focuses on human interaction and human connection - or lack thereof. Amidst his many works featuring crowds of busy people and missed connections, Aoki has delivered this beautiful portrayal of two figures facing each other, stopped in time. With emphatically oversized arms, the figures demonstrate the incredible intimacy and tenderness of simple human touch. Though the figures have no facial features, the piece evokes the disarming sensation of staring directly into someone else's eyes. All that cannot be explained about human emotion seems to rest in the quiet space created between them." 

Medium: Woodcut
Dimensions: 7 1/2 x 7 1/4 inches (Blocks) 10 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches (Sheet)
Signature: Signed
Artist details: Japanese, 1940
Date finished: 2008
Edition: of 35

Recommended by Rebecca (Gallery Manager):
"Tetsuo Aoki is a master of illustrating people, relationships, and emotions. This woodcut in particular speaks volumes about the world today. The figure's back is arched in order to put their head in their exaggerated hands. The posture speaks to the angst and despondency of the main figure, as does the darkness of the ink. Meanwhile, through the gap we can see other people walking by as if all is normal. In the Hand is a small and intimate woodcut that mirrors how I feel while overwhelmed by these tragic events."