Spring 1961

Matsumi Kanemitsu made this print, Spring, sometime in the twentieth century. The approach to mark making is free, loose, and playful. It embraces chance and spontaneity. Looking closely, you can see the texture of the paper and the density of the ink, which is thick and opaque in some areas, thinner and more transparent in others. This gives the impression of depth and movement. The splatters and drips create a sense of energy and vitality, like rain falling on a spring day, maybe. Consider the interplay of light and shadow, the balance between abstraction and representation. There's a dialogue here, isn't there? I find myself thinking about Franz Kline and his bold, gestural abstractions when I look at Kanemitsu's work. Both artists share a love of expressive mark-making. Art is an ongoing conversation.