Iconic David Bowie Portraits Transformed Into Ukiyo-e Artworks

Japanese art collective Ukiyo-e Project teamed up with celebrated photographers, Brian Duffy and Terry O’Neil, on two limited-edition woodblock prints that pay homage to the late David Bowie. From the classical dance-drama of Kabuki to Japanese fashion when he collaborated with Kansai Yamamoto on multiple projects, Bowie had a profound interest in Japanese culture as per designboom.

Duffy’s legendary Bowie portrait from the 1973 Aladdin Sane album cover is reinterpreted for one of the prints, portraying Ziggy Stardust as a Japanese sorcerer from the Kamakura period. On the other hand, O’Neil’s capture of the English musician to promote the 1974 Diamond Dogs album inspires the second iteration that shows Bowie as an Edo Period magician named Takezawa Toji. Both works are illustrated by Ukiyo-e artist Masumi Ishikawa and will be displayed at an upcoming exhibition at BOOKMARC Tokyo in Japan.

A limited number of prints will be available for purchase on Ukiyo-e’s website when the exhibition launches on June 23 up until July 1.

BOOKMARC Tokyo
4-26-14 Jingumae,
Shibuya-ku Tokyo,
Japan