Jan. 18-March 1

Kyoto-born Takeji Asano (1900-1999)was a woodblock artist committed to not only designing, but also carving the blocks for and printing his own works. Having trained in nihonga (Japanese-style painting) before he moved on to shin hanga (new prints) and s¨­saku hanga (creative prints), he became known internationally for his depictions of landscapes.

Inspired by the encouragement of the Lithuanian-American social realism artist Ben Shahn, who once visited him in his studio and remained his friend, Asano established a freer artistic style often featuring animals in bold colors, later in his career.

This comprehensive exhibition features Asano¡¯s more humorous works, characterized by his use of distorted forms, compositions and colors.

Itami City Museum of Art; 2-5-20 Miyanomae, Itami, Hyogo. Itami Stn. 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. ?500. Closed Mon. 072-772-7447;
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Ticket Giveaway: We have five pairs of tickets to ¡°Asano Takeji: Daily Life With Prints¡± at the Itami City Museum of Art to give away to readers. To apply, visit . Deadline: Jan 28.