Medium: Papercut kirie on on fine art paper

A contemporary Japanese set of eleven different sumo poses or Kimarite, rendered in black and white.
Each sheet is 11 x 9.5 inch and has neatly cut out sumo fighters wrestle it out in each of these poses. Each pose has the name in Japanese inscribed on the base along with the artist's hanko in red oval also cut out.

In Sumo there are a total of 82 Kimarite or final match winning techniques or way to lose, all defined by Japan Sumo Association.

For each bout in a Grand Sumo tournament (or honbasho), a sumo referee, or gyoji, will decide and announce the type of kimarite used by the winner. It is possible (although rare) for the judges to modify this decision later. Records of the kimarite are kept and statistical information on the preferred techniques of different wrestlers can be deduced easily. For example, a pie chart of the kimarite used by each sekitori in the past year can be found on the Japan Sumo Association webpage.

* Papercut art or kirie, also called papercutting, or scherenschnitte in German and decoupage in French, is the art of paper designs. Its origins trace back to the Han Dynasty in Northern China in the 4th century AD, after Chinese official Cai Lun invented paper in 105 AD.
Like many traditional Japanese art forms, kirie is a lesson in precision and patience. To cut one line is simple enough, but to cut hundreds or thousands - to physically create an entire scene, with all its complexities, from the two-dimensional surface of a sheet of paper? That is the art of kirie.

Paper-cutting as a craft was introduced to Japan shortly after the arrival of washi paper around 610 AD. Initially practiced exclusively to create religious offerings and ornaments, kirie found popularity within Japan's folk art community as washi became more accessible. Over the centuries, kirie has been refined and expanded into increasingly complex forms, such as framed art installations and sculptures wrought from sheets of paper. Modern artists from around the world continue to develop these techniques, pushing the boundaries of the medium and breathing new life into a centuries-old tradition.


Condition:
Alterations: Original Condition Unaltered
Imperfections: Some Imperfections
Condition Notes: Excellent condition
Faint scratches
Creases
Refer photos for details

Origin:
Japan

Materials & Techniques:
Paper

Details:
Art Subjects: Figure, Pop Culture, Sport
Frame Type: Unframed
What type of item is it? Vintage / Antique / Used
Country of Origin: Japan

Original Condition Unaltered; Some Imperfections; Excellent condition
Faint scratches
Creases
Refer photos for details