Cell-A, Shôwa period, circa 1970

Produced around 1970 during the Shōwa period, Cell-A takes its title from biological or structural imagery, suggesting a focus on bounded organic form. In Maki Haku's practice, a 'cell' likely refers to a discrete, self-contained embossed unit — a raised enclosure or crater set against a surrounding field of flat or subtly textured paper. The 'A' designation implies this may be the first in a series exploring variations on a single structural motif. Circa 1970, Maki was working with kanji-derived abstraction, and the cellular format would allow a character fragment or seal form to be isolated as an almost sculptural object on the page. The washi substrate, chosen for its receptivity to embossing under high pressure, would register the relief's edges with sharp clarity.