Contemporary Okinawan Artist – Bokunen Naka

As in the past, Okinawa’s distinctive and vibrant artistic tradition continues to thrive.

When I first saw Harry Masuda’s shirt I did not give it much attention thinking it was just another Hawaiian aloha shirt, but when I took a closer look I realized that it was quite different in style and design. His girl friend, Shiori Yamauchi, also studying at the East-West Center, had just bought the shirt at a museum in Okinawa. It was only after asking more questions that I learned about Bokunen Naka and about Okinawa’s thriving contemporary artistic tradition.

EWC student Yuichiro Harry Masuda modeling a Bokunen Naka designed shirt

Close up of Bokunen Naka designed shirt made from wood block prints

Artist Bokunen Naka

Bokunen Naka was born on the island of Izena (Iheya) in 1953 – also the birthplace of King Sho En (1415). As a child he always carried a sketchbook with him and made sketches of Okinawa’s creatures and landscape. At the time he thought he would grow up to be a carpenter or fisherman. One of his teachers recognized his talent and recommended he attend an art-based high school on the island of Okinawa. Bokunen Naka gained recognition from his wood block prints.

He describes his wood block print:

Once the woodblock is finished, I spread black ink on the surface of the wood, and then press it against the paper. The black and white print is a mirror image of the carving in the wood. I then turn the paper over and paint in the colors on the back of the paper. This reverse coloring technique gives the process its name: uratesaishoku.