Literature

Shigeru Onishi (1928-1994) was born in Takahashi city, Okayama prefecture. He was quite precocious and as a junior high school student, his difficult questions would often stump his teachers. After graduating from Hokkaido University with a topology degree in 1953, Onishi stayed at the university to study mathematics. He worked on his theoretical mathematical treatise, A Study of Meta-Infinite, which would become his life work, and at this time began photographing in an attempt to demonstrate his mathematical theories using art.

Although he was a self-educated photographer, he was familiar with a variety of photographic and photo development techniques such as multiple exposure, development processing with brushes and sponges, discoloration due to particular developing agents, film processing, colour tone changes due to manipulation of the development temperature and others. He utilised these techniques to achieve experimental results that were beyond his intention. It is believed that Onishi produced photographic works when he was at Hokkaido University until around 1958. It was around that time in 1955 that he exhibited his first one-person show at the Nabis gallery in Tokyo with written contributions from Shuzo Takiguchi and Shigene Kanamaru in the invitation pamphlet. In 1957, Takiguchi organized Onishi’s second one-person show at the Takemiya Gallery, titled The Second Shigeru Onishi Photography Exhibition.

The following year, Onishi’s photographs were introduced in a special feature for Subjectivist Photographs, called A Special Number Atelier: New Photography, with other major artists in the movement. But the mathematical propositions fundamental to Onishi were beyond the scope of photography. As Onishi continued his theoretical mathematical treatise, his artistic medium shifted and he started to produce large scale abstract ink paintings.

Soon after he became acquaintances with the French critic Michel Tapié who was visiting Japan. Tapié was curating an exhibition on Art Informel entitled The World- Contemporary Art Exhibition (Tokyo and Osaka) and selected Onishi’s work to be included in the show. From there, Tapié began to actively introduce Onishi’s abstract ink paintings around Europe, associating him with the Art Informel movement.

Although Onishi’s abstract ink paintings were widely introduced from the 1950’s to the 1970’s throughout Europe, he did not keep the company of international art circles. He stayed in his hometown in Okayama prefecture and continued his mathematical research and continued the production of his art works until his passing.