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Wall Paintings A･B･C･D

ONOSATO Toshinobu

1962

Since the ancient times, the circle has been considered as an ideal as it is the simplest form geometrically. About employing it as his primary motif, Onosato has given this explanation: "My basic attitude of seeking to capture existence in its primordial state demands the circle because it is the origin of all there is, and because it is a geometric primary form." As for the structure of his paintings, he describes it to be "without top or bottom, or right or left, as the patterns are repeated in the same way in either direction." The surface is divided into small rectangles of various orange colors, and the outlines defining the circles against the background are fuzzed out. What we see is bright dots of color and nothing more, but they create illusionistic effects.
After returning to Japan following detainment in Siberia, Onosato ran a chicken farm in Kiryu, Gunma prefecture, and also worked as an art teacher. But he soon resumed working on abstract painting. This particular work, after it was shown in "The 32nd Biennale di Venezia", was for a long time hung on the outer wall of the storehouse at the residence of his friend and art critic Teijiro Kubo along with four other works by EI-KYU (Collection of this museum), Yukihisa Isobe, and others.