Figure 1975

This is Funasaka Yoshisuke’s 'Figure' – a woodblock print from 1995. It’s like he's wrestling with the figure, hacking away at the block. The black ink feels dense, almost sculptural, against the stark white of the paper. I love the tension in the lines. Look at the way the negative space carves out the form, especially how the arms loop and fold, a study in simplification. There is a real confidence in the artist's hand, and the whole thing is so direct and immediate. Yoshisuke’s print reminds me of Matisse’s cut-outs – a similar feeling of reduction, where only the essential gestures remain. Like Matisse, Yoshisuke has a profound understanding of how much can be communicated with a single, well-placed mark. It’s a reminder that art thrives in the space between seeing and knowing. It’s not about answers; it’s about opening up new ways of looking.