The creative print movement sought to modernize traditional Japanese printmaking in the early 20th century. “Lyrically Rebellious” takes viewers on a visual journey through Onchi’s stylistic evolution, from his early figurative works, including portraits and landscapes, to his later purely abstract compositions, often inspired by classical music and poetry.

In early 20th-century Japan, the advent of modern media such as lithography and photography threatened traditional forms of woodblock printmaking, which for more than 250 years had been a popular, affordable form of art, gracing middle-class households throughout the country. Since the 1600s, the process of printmaking had involved a collaborative system of specialists who handled each step in the creation of a print — design, carving, inking and printing. This system ensured the highest level of craftsmanship.

As etchings, lithographs and photographs by Western artists were imported into Japan and Japanese artists adopted these new technologies, woodblock prints were viewed as old-fashioned, and the genre almost disappeared. Woodblock print designers realized they needed to revitalize their medium to keep it alive, compete and practice true creative expression. They took cues from the West and abandoned the collaborative approach. Instead, each artist worked independently, assuming responsibility for all aspects of the print production. As a result, the works exude the uniqueness and self-expression of a painting, laying the foundation of the creative print movement.

Onchi emerged as the leader of this printmaking revolution. Inspired by avant-garde artists of the West, such as Wassily Kandinsky and Edvard Munch, he explored philosophical concerns such as how to depict a subject that can’t be seen, like music. Over the course of his career, Onchi invented a visual language in response to such explorations.

As a result of his experimentation in printmaking and tireless efforts to educate the public about abstract art in postwar Japan, printmaking went from being hardly recognized to gaining wide acclaim at home and internationally.

Some of Onchi’s greatest champions were Americans in Japan during the U.S. military occupation and reconstruction. These included the Hawai‘i-based well-known authors and Japanese art experts James Michener (1907-1997) and Oliver Statler (1915-2002). Both men were avid collectors of sōsaku hanga artists’ work, which is how the Honolulu Museum of Art came to possess the largest publiccollection of prints by Onchi outside of Japan.

Accompanying exhibition of Japanese woodblock prints
As a complement to “Lyrically Rebellious,” HoMA also presents “Beyond Onchi: Works by Creative Print Artists,” on view Aug. 22-Nov. 30. The exhibition focuses on several other artists in the creative print (sōsaku hanga) movement, conveying the wide variety of subjects and styles explored by this innovative group.

Exhibition catalogue
The exhibition’s accompanying catalogue is the first extended, illustrated book on Onchi to be published in English. Until this year, the copyright to the artist’s work was privately held and reproduction of his prints was restricted. Now that the artwork has entered the public domain, scholars are able to explore and celebrate Onchi’s work with greater freedom.

Exhibition organization and support
“Lyrically Rebellious: The Prints of Onchi Kōshirō,” is organized by the Honolulu Museum of Art. The exhibition is curated by Curator of Japanese Art Stephen Salel. The exhibition is made possible by the Robert F. Lange Foundation. Additional support is provided by Halekulani and JCB. This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Images available on request.

Onchi Kōshirō (1891–1955). “Object No. 1, 1954.” Woodblock print; ink and color on paper. Honolulu Museum of Art: Gift of James A. Michener, 1991 (21602) 

Onchi Kōshirō (1891–1955). “Author of Ice Isle (Hyōtō): Portrait of Hagiwara Sakutarō,” 1943. Woodblock print; ink and color on paper. Honolulu Museum of Art: Gift of James A. Michener, 1991 (21574) 

​​The Honolulu Museum of Art is Hawai‘i’s premier art institution, inspiring and uplifting the community through transformative art experiences. Founded in 1927 by Anna Rice Cooke to reflect Hawai‘i’s multicultural makeup, today HoMA’s extraordinary collection of more than 55,000 works of art from across the globe spans 5,000 years.