Praying on the board: Shiko Munakata and the "shape of the soul"
Praying on a board - Shiko Munakata and the "shape of the soul"
Why is there so much passion in a world entirely made of ink?
Whenever I come into contact with Munakata Shiko's woodblock prints, I feel that the act of "carving" is something akin to prayer. His works are imbued with a power that transcends words, deeply moving the hearts of those who see them.
Munakata was born in Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture in 1903. He loved drawing from an early age, and even though he suffered from severe nearsightedness, he never put down his paintbrush. As a young man, he admired Van Gogh so much that he once exclaimed, "I'll become Van Gogh," an anecdote that remains in the hearts of many people today.
These words are not merely dreams or ambitions, but symbolize his sincere attitude towards art and his determination to create something that will drain his soul.
The "life" of woodblock prints
Munakata called his works "woodblock prints" rather than "prints." This term reflects his unique philosophy of not simply treating prints as a printing technique, but of carving into the wooden boards themselves as if breathing life into them.
He puts ink on a wooden board and then cuts the wood. Each stroke is a prayer to Buddha, a reverence for nature, and a hymn to human activities. For him, woodblock painting was not simply a visual expression, but an act of touching the depths of the soul.
In one of his masterpieces, The Ten Great Disciples of Shakyamuni, the gazes of the Buddhas emerge through the use of varying shades of ink and the depth of the carving. There, serenity and strength coexist, leaving a deep impression on the viewer's mind. This is not just a painting; it exudes a presence worthy of being called the "shape of the soul."
A path walked alongside folk art
Munakata Shiko's art blossomed greatly after his encounter with the Mingei movement. His interactions with Mingei thinkers and craftsmen such as Yanagi Muneyoshi, Kawai Kanjiro, and Hamada Shoji had a profound influence on his creations.
Munakata strongly resonated with the Mingei movement's philosophy of "beauty in utility," the idea that true beauty lies in everyday life. His woodblock prints embody this philosophy. He carved out "living beauty" through subjects such as Buddhism, Shinto, nature, women, and everyday life.
Munakata also worked on calligraphy and Yamato-e paintings, expanding the possibilities of expression with ink and brush. His calligraphy is powerful yet somehow poetic, the words themselves seeming to move in motion. He was also involved in bookbinding and wrapping paper design, effortlessly crossing the boundaries between art and life.
Seasons in Ink
Munakata's works exude a sense of the seasons. For example, in his work "Yamato Shi Utsukushi," one can sense the spring breeze blowing. The varying shades of ink dance like cherry blossom petals, creating soft light and shadow on the canvas.
His woodblock paintings do not have clear colors. However, the mist of spring, the heat haze of summer, the fallen leaves of autumn, and the silence of winter reside in the ink. The use of white space, the force of the lines, the depth of the carving—all of these things speak of the changing of the seasons.
I can't help but feel that the emotions contained in the "seasonal words" and "color names" that we experience in our daily lives and the "seasons of ink" that permeate Munakata's woodblock prints are secretly resonating with each other somewhere.
To the younger generation - Rediscovering the power of ink
Shiko Munakata's works are by no means difficult to understand. Rather, they contain the "authentic feel" that we have almost forgotten in modern times. The smell of ink, the feel of wood, the sound of the blade cutting into the board... Everything speaks to us through our five senses.
Now that digital technology has become commonplace, the importance of the act of "carving by hand" and "drawing with ink" as Munakata does feels even more vivid.
If you feel like expressing something, try putting ink to paper first. A prayer may begin to move before words. As was the case with Munakata, expression begins with a "cry from the heart" before technique or logic.
Conclusion
Shiko Munakata's woodblock prints continue to touch the hearts of many people today. This is because his works are not simply works of art, but "living prayers" and "records of the soul."
Munakata continued to carve into wood the beauty that we tend to overlook in our daily lives and the feelings that cannot be put into words. His approach transcends time and quietly raises questions for us living in the present.
"What do you pray to?"
Munakata Shiko's woodblock prints continue to pose these questions to us today, standing quietly in the background.