Kiyoshi Saito, Japanese, 1907-1997, Wall of Kyoto, 1960, Color Woodblock, 36" x 25"

WATERVILLE, ME.- The Colby College Museum of Art presents Modern Japanese Prints, on view through March 18. Organized by students in the Asian Museum Workshop, this exhibition explores Japan's struggle to achieve its own identity during 19th and 20th centuries. With a steady increase of Western influences during an era of World Wars, the Japanese esteem for Wa (harmony) was critically important in maintaining a dialogue between East and West. The prints in this exhibition illustrate Japanese artists' willingness to infuse their aesthetic sensibilities with those of the West to find a balance between tradition and modernity. (courtesy www.Artdaily.org)