Hawaii Gyotaku Art

 Gyotaku is a unique form of printing that uses freshly caught fish, plants and other aquatic life, to create realistic imprints on cloth or paper. It originated in Asia during the 1800’s as a methodical way to document a fishermen’s prized catch. In Hawaii gyotaku artists still use this artistic printing method to recreate life-like renditions of life under the ocean. The “subjects” are recorded for posterity, then ready to eat, as gyotaku uses non-toxic inks and paints.

Hawaii has become a creative hot spot for gyotaku, finding a niche in prints of fish that are native to the archipelago. Because of Hawaii’s rare isolation, approximately 30% of fish are unique to the island chain. These native fish prints stand out as distinctly Hawaiian Gyotaku, making the islands an ideal place to find one-of-a-kind prints.