Wall from the series Pinwheels

After immersing himself in copperplate printmaking around 1951, Ei-Q began exploring lithography and, around 1958, made a full return to oil painting. This work, created in 1957 just before his transition back to oils, was included posthumously in the fifth volume of his copperplate print series Pinwheels, printed by Ikeda Masuo. Ei-Q, who engaged with Surrealism, blended figurative and abstract elements to produce unique images in his works on paper. This print features a wall riddled with holes and dents that resemble the profiles of animals or humans, paradoxically exuding a warm sense of life despite the inherent hardness of the material, and delivering an impression unique to Ei-Q’s work. (F.R.)