Mold (Life) A

Mold (Life) A, created in 1968, brings together organic growth and vital energy in its compound title. Mold operates in two registers: as a noun it describes the organic decomposer that colonizes surfaces with branching, fractal patterns; as a verb it means to shape or form. "Life" anchors the word firmly in the biological realm, suggesting that the shaping force at work is organic rather than mechanical.

This ink and color on paper woodblock print uses Amano's carved marks to evoke patterns of natural growth and proliferation. The branching, spreading quality of organic mold, which follows the invisible moisture gradients and nutrient pathways of its substrate, provides a visual model quite different from the geometric forms that dominate much of Amano's work. The "A" designation indicates the first of multiple variations, suggesting that Amano treated this organic subject with the same systematic, serial approach he applied to his more geometric investigations.