Marje Umezuki
Untitled (Nude)
Undated
Pen and black ink on paper
Sheet: 13 3/4 in. x 10 3/8 in.
Gift of the Estate of Ruth Bocour
Marje Umezuki is a relatively unknown artist, as information on her and her works is nearly impossible to find. She is a Canadian artist of Japanese immigrant parents whose family was forced to reside in an interment camp for five months during World War II.1 Although information is scarce, her works are still reasonably visible, such as the pen and ink drawing that was donated to the collection of the College by the estate of Ruth Bocour, the widow of Leonard Bocour, in 2001.
The drawing is an ink depiction of a male model posing for a group of women who seem to be sketching his form. As is common of Umezuki’s style, the figures are rendered with exaggerated anatomy and a repetition of thin, long, and fluid lines. This untitled work appears to be a quick ink wash sketch, as the figures are depicted with swift, gestural strokes and hasty application of light shading. There is an absence of details of the human form and facial features are left blank or inexpressive. The background is sparse with an emphasis on negative space, as only a small number of objects litter the floor and wall of the area, also rendered with swift, gestural strokes. An emphasis on lighting and shadow is present, as all figures and objects are dynamically highlighted by a slight ink wash shadow, which contrasts the figures against the blank background. Interestingly, the model is a man while the two figures drawing him appear to be women artists, in contrast to a typical studio representation of a female model with male students.
1. John Endo Greenway, "The New Canadian: A History," The Bulletin: A Journal of the Japanese Canadian Community, April 8, 2008. http://jccabulletin-geppo.ca/the-new-canadian-a-history/↩
-Julianna Linder