Hideshi Yoshida - 離脱、あるいは再生へのかすかな希望 (Withdrawal, or a Faint Hope for Revival)

Contemporary Woodblock Print

A fabulous print by Hideshi Yoshida (吉田秀司) titled 離脱、あるいは再生へのかすかな希望 belongs to Yoshida’s celebrated Agnahuecom-Land universe - a parallel realm where technology and human ambition spiral out of control. Against a backdrop of geometric cityscapes and towering smoke clouds, a strange mechanised vessel ascends into the sky 🚀, carrying the last survivors away from a collapsing civilisation. Both apocalyptic and contemplative, the print captures Yoshida’s exquisite detail and narrative power, a hand-carved woodblock of striking imagination. 🌌

• Year & Edition: 2017 · Edition x/20 (signed, editioned & dated in pencil).
  
• Medium: Woodblock. Carved on Shina Japanese plywood. Printed on gampi & kozo.
  
• Dimensions: Sheet H: 70.00 cm × W: 50.00 cm; Image H: 50.00 cm × W: 30.00 cm.
  
• Condition: Mint. Direct from artist studio.
  
• Notes: A magnificent large-scale fantasy composition, rich in narrative detail. Hideshi Yoshida comments:

「今、最後の脱出船が離陸した。モニターには人影は見当たらないので、多分これですべての住人は船に乗り込めたのだろう。人類がこの地で文明を築き始めてから長い年月が経ち、彼らは欲望のままに開発を進め、多くの科学技術を発展させてきたが、それは自分たちが制御できる限界を超え、自然環境に莫大なダメージを与えることとなった。このまま自然破壊が進めば自分たち人類どころか他の生き物も生きてはいられなくなると判断し、彼らはこの星を去るという決断を下した。とてつもなく無責任とも思えるが、これがいま彼らが出来る最善の策である。今では制御不能となった、煙突から黒い煙を出し続けるあの反応炉も、いつかは燃料が尽き、最悪の事態は避けられるだろう。幸運にもまだ山も川も森も残されている。きっといつかは自然の自浄作用で元の状態に戻るという望みを抱きつつ。願わくば、豊かな自然が回復した時には、またここに戻りたいと彼らは考えているようだが、果たしてそんな資格はあるのだろうか?」(Now, the last escape ship has taken off. No figures appeared on the monitor, so it seems likely that all the residents managed to board. Many years have passed since humanity first began building civilisation here, pursuing development to satisfy their desires and advancing countless sciences and technologies. Yet their progress surpassed the limits of their control, inflicting vast damage upon the natural environment. Concluding that if this destruction continued neither humankind nor any other living creatures could survive, they made the decision to abandon the planet. It may seem outrageously irresponsible, but for them this is the only course left. Even the reactor, now beyond control and spewing black smoke from its chimney, will one day run out of fuel, and the worst catastrophe may be avoided. Fortunately, mountains, rivers, and forests still remain. There is hope that in time, through nature’s own powers of recovery, the land may be restored. They long to return once its richness has revived - but do they truly deserve that right?)

About the Artist

Hideshi Yoshida (b. Hokkaido) is a Tokyo-based contemporary printmaker celebrated for his meticulous wood-engravings (木口木版) and vibrant woodblock prints. He transports viewers into surreal realms - ranging from charming animal scenes to visionary landscapes inspired by Lovecraft, Carroll and Stevenson - while centering his own Sci-Fi universe, Agnahuecom-Land, and the tech-driven mega-corporation FROSKEY Inc., powered by the mythical element Rabbitanium. Yoshida’s richly detailed narratives and fantastical precision have earned him international acclaim, with works held at the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology (Poland) and the St. Nikolai Municipal Museum (Belgium). Kumo Arts is proud to showcase his enchanting worlds. [ ← View All Works by Hideshi Yoshida]