Morozumi Osamu. The Singular Vision of a Japanese Printmaking Master
In the rich and ever-evolving landscape of Japanese printmaking, Morozumi Osamu (両角修) stands as a figure of quiet innovation. Born in 1948 in Nagano Prefecture, Morozumi is among the first generation of Japanese artists to emerge in the aftermath of World War II — a time of reconstruction, reflection, and artistic redefinition. Alongside contemporaries such as Kawachi Seiko, Morozumi helped shape the postwar legacy of Japanese woodblock printmaking with a voice that is both deeply traditional and unmistakably his own.
Though he would later be recognized internationally for his contributions to hanga (Japanese printmaking), Morozumi’s journey began in the realm of sculpture. At Tama Art University, he studied under the renowned Fukita Fumiaki, whose influence would resonate throughout his career. It was during these formative years that Morozumi began to carve his own path — quite literally. In 1972, before even completing his formal education, he was awarded the Young Talent Award by the Japanese Print Association and took first prize at the Nichido Grand Print Exhibition, signaling the arrival of a remarkable new voice in Japanese art.
Sculpting Shadows in Monochrome
Since the early 1970s, Morozumi has dedicated himself to an original technique that bridges his background in sculpture with the aesthetic discipline of woodblock printing. Using nails of varying sizes to perforate the woodblock, he creates intricate, monochrome prints that shimmer with light and shadow. These aren’t merely images — they are meditations. The resulting works possess a quiet drama, a sculptural density, and a rhythmic tension between form and void.
Unlike many artists who title their works as a guide for interpretation, Morozumi typically leaves his prints untitled and numbered, inviting viewers into a more personal, contemplative space. His work resists easy categorization — at once minimalist and organic, architectural and mysterious. They evoke not so much a narrative as a sensation — of wind through trees, the hush of sacred spaces, the weight of stillness.
A Global Imprint
Morozumi’s artistic vision has resonated far beyond Japan’s borders. Since 1975, his work has been exhibited internationally and has appeared in major texts on contemporary Japanese printmaking, including Gendai hanga zukan and publications by Lawrence Smith, the former curator of Japanese art at the British Museum. His prints, often modest in size but immense in presence, have found homes in galleries and private collections around the world.
A Gaze That Sees Beyond Borders
While the title Japanese Gaze on Nepal may suggest geographic observation, Morozumi’s true gaze is inward, timeless, and transcultural. His work doesn’t depict Nepal, or any specific place; rather, it echoes the meditative landscapes of the soul — places where silence speaks, and light carves meaning from darkness.
In a world saturated with color, noise, and speed, Morozumi Osamu’s monochrome visions offer a retreat — a chance to look, really look, into the subtlety of things. Through wood and nail, shadow and form, he reminds us that sometimes, the most profound revelations lie in what is left unsaid.
