Karhu - Karhu Exhibition

December 8 - 15

The Tolman Collection in Tokyo is known as the largest publisher of contemporary Japanese prints in the world.  Our artists regularly bring us their latest compositions and we base our stock on what they have produced. Since we have been in business since 1972, we naturally have cases of artists passing away, and then our stock of their wonderful works shrinks every day.

We noticed this situation especially with the passing of our dear Clifton Karhu in 2007.  Mr. Karhu had ended every year with a showing at our gallery announcing his next year’s works. We always finished the year on a high note and celebrated happily that he had made such successful and popular prints. Of course, the humorous calendars were a big part of his popularity.

It was hard to believe how quickly we ran out of his prints. There were no new ones coming and we soon felt the problem of having nothing new of his to offer. But his famous calendars kept him in the eyes of those clients who did not have the chance to get something special of his oeuvre.

Now, in an event that will probably not come again, two sources,  art lovers who collected his works in volume over the years, were discovered at the same time and  I was able to acquire the creme de la creme of his fabulous works capturing the "Japan that may not always be here.”  We  now have a selection of his very special works that those collectors had amassed. They are in wonderful condition since, without ever even framing them they put them into their archives.  As time has passed, the collectors have passed away, but the prints haven't, and so this year we are able to show selected pieces from those collections.

The woodblock prints that will be shown are not inexpensive; the Japan that is captured with the wonderful execution of Mr. Karhu’s technique should cause anyone who missed Mr. Karhu’s work while he was with us, to have a look and see what is suddenly available.

We will be showing these treasures on Sunday, December 8 until Sunday, December 15 (but, closed on Monday and Tuesday). We  will of course have those calendars which his family has continued to supply and the presence of Joel Karhu!

For those who make a purchase of these special old prints I will happily present a copy of the book that I have written about Mr.Karhu, the Tolman Collection’s first artist.