Schelpen
1950 - 1959
Imagine looking down at a tide pool and seeing the world through abstract, modernist eyes—that's the vibe of this piece by Onchi Kōshirō. A giant, ink-black blob dominates the center, looking like a smooth river stone or a sleeping sea creature, surrounded by floating fragments: a wavy blue ribbon, a scribbly brown shape, and a tiny red star. The title 'Schelpen' (Dutch for 'Shells') reveals that these playful shapes are actually a deconstructed seascape. Onchi was a pioneer of the sosaku-hanga (creative prints) movement in Japan, which championed the idea that the artist should be the carver and printer too, resulting in this wonderfully textured, handcrafted look.
- Technique
- Woodblock print
- Material
- Paper
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