Mirror

The concept of “ma,” referring to the use of empty space as a compositional device, is a key concept in Japanese arts. Here the white area on the right half of the image can be read as both blank space and as the solid form of a sliding screen door. This door blocks the observer’s view of the woman within, and with its black handle also echoes the form of the woman’s breast. By using the device of the mirror to reveal what is otherwise concealed, the artist introduces themes of voyeurism and seduction. In this way Onchi Kōshirō pays homage to the older genre of bijinga or “beauty pictures” in ukiyo-e prints. Yet several aspects of this work reflect Onchi’s experimental spirit: the fracturing of the woman’s body, the echoing of the breast in the door, the collapsing of space, and the collage-like application of wood-grain pattern.