Artwork
Mitate - Mirror Pond
Mitate - Mirror Pond is a print by Nana Shiomi. It dates from 2002 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
This 2002 print by Shiomi, Nana mixes old and new. It came from a workshop where artists tried blending traditional woodblock prints with digital tools. The publisher, Eyecon, helps artists test fresh ways to make prints using tech.
The project paired Japanese and UK-based artists. They worked at Wimbledon School of Art to share ideas.
Check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more.
Overview
Mitate – Mirror Pond is a 2002 print by Japanese artist Nana Shiomi. Produced as part of a collaborative workshop at Wimbledon School of Art, the work exemplifies a dialogue between traditional Japanese woodblock techniques and contemporary digital processes.
Subject & Meaning
The image juxtaposes reflective water surfaces with patterned motifs, evoking the Japanese concept of "mitate"—a playful re‑contextualisation of classic visual references. By merging historic aesthetic cues with modern visual language, the piece invites viewers to reconsider familiar cultural symbols through a contemporary lens.
Technique & Style
Shiomi combined hand‑carved woodblocks with digital manipulation, printing the final image using a hybrid workflow. The process involved scanning carved blocks, digitally adjusting tonal values, and outputting the composition as a high‑resolution digital print, thereby bridging tactile craftsmanship with electronic precision.
History & Provenance
The print emerged from a 2002 workshop that brought together nineteen artists from Japan and the United Kingdom. The project was organized by Eyecon, a digital print research and publishing collective founded in 1999, which supports experimental printmaking that incorporates new technologies.
Context
The workshop reflected a broader early‑2000s interest in cross‑cultural exchange and the integration of digital tools into traditional art forms. By situating Japanese woodblock aesthetics within a UK academic setting, the initiative fostered a transnational conversation about the future of print media.
Artist & collection
Artist
Nana Shiomi made layered woodcut prints that play with reflection and memory. In Mitate — Mirror Pond (2002), she turns a quiet garden pool into a mirror that doubles the scene, pushing the viewer to look twice. The…
