Cosmic Hand

Sueo Serisawa

Sueo Serisawa's printmaking often references Buddhism and Eastern philosophies. "Mudras" are hand positions often depicted in Buddhist art and used in practice to evoke a particular state of mind and the circle can be a symbol for the moment of creativity. Serisawa breaks the edge of the circle at two points within the composition.

Sueo Serisawa was born in Yokohama, Japan on April 10, 1910. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1918, to join his artist-father, Yoichi, in Seattle. Profoundly influenced by his father, Serisawa began to paint that same year. Eventually the family relocated to California, and established a home in Long Beach in 1921.

He studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and later with Yasao Kuniyoshi (1889-1953). He returned to Southern California in 1947 where he taught art in a number of universities. He created a number of color woodcuts that he sold through his brother's gallery.