Enso 1922

Nakahara Nantenbo made this Enso with ink on paper. Look at the confidence and speed of that single brushstroke. It’s got this incredible variation in tone, where the ink pools on one side, almost like a shadow, and then thins out to this delicate edge. It's like a performance, a record of a moment where the artist’s hand, eye, and breath were all perfectly aligned. The texture of the paper peeks through in parts, giving it this raw, immediate feel. You can see the way the brush hairs splayed out, creating these subtle striations within the circle. It’s not just a shape; it’s an event. For me, it connects to the work of Franz Kline, who also embraced the power of the single gesture. But where Kline’s paintings are full of angst and drama, Nantenbo’s Enso feels more like a moment of quiet contemplation. It’s a reminder that art doesn’t always have to be about answers. Sometimes, it’s enough to simply pose the question.