Maiko Kyoto (I) 

Kiyoshi Saito created ‘Maiko Kyoto (I)’ using woodblock print, a technique that reflects the synthesis of traditional Japanese aesthetics with modern artistic practices during the 20th century. Saito's print captures a Maiko, an apprentice geisha, and invites us to consider the intricate layers of identity and representation. The stark, geometric simplification of the figure challenges traditional portrayals, reducing the Maiko to essential forms and colors which prompt us to question the exoticized images of Japanese women. The lack of detail obscures individuality, which transforms her into an emblem of cultural performance. By depicting the Maiko in this way, Saito navigates the complex interplay between preservation and innovation and tradition and modernity.