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Lot Essay
In the late 1950s, Shiraga gradually established his artistic concept, developing a system of logic behind his own artistic language. He had strengthened his method of composition, mastery of contrasting colours, and overall technique. No longer only using his feet to slide paint across a canvas's surface, Shiraga also began to employ a splashing technique which resulted in an increasingly intricate visual effect. In the mid-1960s, he began using a wooden rod to enhance the movement of the paint as well.
Executed in the 1960s, Untitled (Lot 609) is a quintessential work of Shiraga, incorporating sporadic colour splash, silk-like delicate lines, raw texture, heavy impasto, wavy spread of oil paint are evidence of wrestling between the artist and oil paint.
In artist's own word when describing his creative process:
'Sixty percent physical desire and forty percent looking at the painting and making a decision.' 1 KAZUO SHIRAGA
Although free physical momentum is an important element of Shiraga's works, his decision on composition and colour is critical to his innovative images. Apart from the two major colour tones – soil yellow and crimson, Shiraga enriched the painting by cherry and peach red. The strong colour splashes deliver a sense of extension, resembling summer dynamism and energy.
Kazuo Shiraga's works are widely collected by museums across Europe, the United States, and Asia, including Musee National d'Art Moderne-Centre Georges Pompidou, t he National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo, the Art Institute of Chicago, and Walker Art Centre in the United States.
1 Kazuo Shiraga and Ichiro Hariu (dialogue), "Kamigata action dangi" (Conversation on action from the Kyoto-Osaka area), Shiraga Kazuo"12 nen no sakuhin kara (Tokyo Gallery, 1973), unpaged.
Executed in the 1960s, Untitled (Lot 609) is a quintessential work of Shiraga, incorporating sporadic colour splash, silk-like delicate lines, raw texture, heavy impasto, wavy spread of oil paint are evidence of wrestling between the artist and oil paint.
In artist's own word when describing his creative process:
'Sixty percent physical desire and forty percent looking at the painting and making a decision.' 1 KAZUO SHIRAGA
Although free physical momentum is an important element of Shiraga's works, his decision on composition and colour is critical to his innovative images. Apart from the two major colour tones – soil yellow and crimson, Shiraga enriched the painting by cherry and peach red. The strong colour splashes deliver a sense of extension, resembling summer dynamism and energy.
Kazuo Shiraga's works are widely collected by museums across Europe, the United States, and Asia, including Musee National d'Art Moderne-Centre Georges Pompidou, t he National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo, the Art Institute of Chicago, and Walker Art Centre in the United States.
1 Kazuo Shiraga and Ichiro Hariu (dialogue), "Kamigata action dangi" (Conversation on action from the Kyoto-Osaka area), Shiraga Kazuo"12 nen no sakuhin kara (Tokyo Gallery, 1973), unpaged.