BOTTLE CRASH, 1991

Shozo Shimamoto (1928-2013) was a founding member of the Gutai movement. In 1956 at the 2nd Gutai Art Exhibition in Tokyo, Shimamoto produced his first ‘Bottle Crash’ piece, where he placed a rock in the centre of a large canvas on the floor, against which he hurled bottles containing various coloured paints. This experiment produced a technique which would significantly affect his future work. In this mature work, Bottle Crash, 1991, Shimamoto has used only black and red pigments, to dramatic effect. Variously-sized chunks of broken glass are embedded in the paint across the canvas.

The work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by the Shozo Shimamoto Association, no. 1139.