8月6日に、前橋にて滞在制作中のアレクサ・クミコ・ハタナカさんによる魚拓ワークショップを開催しました。ご参加いただいた皆さん、ありがとうございました！
今回の魚拓ワークショップでは、ぐんまの魚「鮎」を使いました。紙を持ち上げて魚の姿が現れる瞬間には、あちこちから笑顔が。自分でつくった魚拓を見て、嬉しそうにする皆さんの姿がとても印象的でした。ワークショップ後の講評では、「同じ魚を使っても、同じ魚拓にはならないのが面白い」というお話も。墨の濃淡によって、薄い魚拓は速く泳いでいるように、墨がたっぷりとのった魚拓はゆっくり泳いでいるように見えるなど、それぞれの魚拓から異なる表情や動きが感じられました。
今回制作された魚拓は、アレクサさんの作品に使用され、第一回 前橋国際芸術祭 2026の会期中、アーツ前橋に展示される予定です。
ワークショップで使用した和紙と筆は美術出版エデュケーショナル様にご提供いただきました。

A Gyotaku workshop led by Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka, who is currently working in Maebashi as an artist in residence, was recently held in the city. Thank you to everyone who participated!
For this workshop, participants worked with ayu, a fish native to Gunma. As participants lifted the paper to reveal the image of the fish, smiles appeared throughout the room. It was especially memorable to see everyone looking so pleased with the fish prints they had created themselves. During the feedback session following the workshop, Alexa noted that even when using the same fish, no two fish prints turn out the same. Differences in the density of the ink also gave each print a distinct sense of movement: lighter prints appeared to show fish swimming quickly, while prints with more ink seemed to depict fish moving slowly. Each print conveyed a different expression and sense of motion.
The fish prints created during the workshop will be incorporated into Alexa’s artwork and exhibited at Arts Maebashi during the 1st Maebashi Biennale 2026. We look forward to seeing how they develop into the final work.
The Japanese washi paper and brushes used in the workshop were provided by Bijutsu Shuppan Educational Co., Ltd.
With the biennale approaching, various preparations are also underway at the artists’ studios and project sites. We look forward to seeing the works that will emerge throughout Maebashi in the coming months.