Sadao Hasegawa (Japanese, 1945-1999)

Joyfully Seeking the Impure Land II [Gon Gu Edo II], 1981 / Printed 1985. Offset lithograph. Signed in plate on the upper right; dated in plate on the lower left. Published by KL-Pacific Graphics, San Francisco, in collaboration with the artist for distribution via IN TOUCH For Men Magazine (No. 107), this print was among the earliest of Hasegawa’s work to be presented to a western audience. Hasegawa rarely published or exhibited his work outside of Japan, only briefly collaborating with IN TOUCH for Men Magazine to distribute the more overtly sexual works shown here, and later publishing a short-run monograph through Gay Men’s Press in 1990. Emblematic of the artist's interest in Japanese mythology and spirituality, this work references the Buddhist concept of the Impure Land [Edo], a realm where beings are punished for their earthly desires and ethical defilements. Prints from this 1985 set were then sold through International Wavelength, a San Francisco-based publisher and mail order company which produced gay Asian interest magazines and media throughout the 1980s-early 1990s. 22 x 16 1/4 in. (55.9 x 41.3 cm) Literature (Illustrated): Mills, Jerry. "The Erotic Art of Sadao Hasegawa." IN TOUCH For Men. October, 1985. Illustrated. Condition Nothing adverse to note. For further condition details or additional images, please contact info@vallots.com

Estimate:$500

View all items fromVallot AuctioneersorArts & Graphics