The Print:
Orchid Spirit is an undated color etching, with a large, vibrant red orchid dominating the upper portion of the print, juxtaposed with a detailed, monochrome cluster of bicycles and figures carrying umbrellas below. This is number 11 from a limited edition of 70. It is pencil signed.
The Artist:
Shigeki Kuroda was bornin 1953 in Yokohama, Japan. He studied painting at Tama Art University, where he earned both undergraduate and masters degrees. and after graduating he began creating intaglio prints in 1976. He continued his artistic studies in the United States in 1984, under the auspices of a Japanese Government Fellowship. In the US, he expanded his technical knowledge by working with printmaking methods such as etching, drypoint, mezzotint, and aquatint.
The Historical Context:
Kuroda’s works are readily recognizable, usually depicting blurred riders on bicycles, carrying umbrellas. Kuroda has been exploring this theme in a variety of ways, combining the sharp lines of drypoint etching with the softer tones and textures of aquatint, to create vivid prints. The umbrella is a traditional Japanese symbol, and Kuroda was inspired by the common sight of Japanese cyclists riding with umbrellas in the rain.
Although the figures remain similar in each work, the mood is altered by the backgrounds. Kuroda’s primary aim is to express the “change, flow, and expanse of time”. He often uses blurred, multiple layers for his bicycle riders to convey a sense of hurried speed.
Kuroda’s works are held in prestigious international museums, including The British Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Cleveland Museum of Art and the Yokohama Museum of Art.
Posted on February 26, 2026