Things Suspended in the Sky 1914

Koshiro Onchi made "Things Suspended in the Sky" using woodblock printmaking, a process that’s all about carving away to reveal what you want to show. The way Onchi uses black is so striking. It’s not just a color; it feels like a presence, a mood. Look at how he's scratched the marks and lines into that inky surface. Those marks let the light in, like rain or snow. The wood gives the whole surface a kind of texture. You get the sense of the artist working with the material, letting the grain and the cut marks speak. There's a part at the bottom right where the marks start to scramble, like stars or birds taking off. That particular area is where my eyes keep going back to. Onchi reminds me a bit of Joan Miró, who also had this playful way of abstracting forms and letting his subconscious guide the process. With both artists, the work comes out of an experimental place, embracing improvisation and change. There is no right or wrong way, only a playful conversation between the artist and the material.