Japandi is all about clean lines, a neutral colour palette and the use of natural materials. In this edition, we will explore how we can use art to encompass this style bringing ‘hygge’, (the Nordic word for home cosiness) and ‘wabi-sabi’ (the Japanese word for finding beauty in imperfection) harmonising to create a relaxing atmosphere in your home.

In the high-tech world, we now live in, where your phone is your camera, it is easy to forget the art of photography. Ogawa Kazumasa was a Japanese photographer and artist who pioneered the field of photomechanical printing. In the late 1800s, demand increased for high-quality photographs, so instead of creating one photo using light-sensitive materials, printing plates were created from photographs using chromated gelatin. The gelatin when exposed would harden at different depths depending on the levels of exposure, hence forming topography that would produce the tones of the image when printed. Ogawa Kazumasa would then add colour by hand layering plate by plate.

The Japandi style is about simplicity and nature, Kazumasa photographic prints have both in abundance. We have collated a large collection of Kazumasa's prints which can be found in our Japanese Art Collection, a selection we have highlighted below.