Untitled 1980

This untitled print was made by Taro Okamoto, and it's like a playground for shapes and colors having a party together. The blue brushstrokes swish and swirl, a backdrop for the main players, creating a sense of movement. The paint here isn’t about hiding, it’s upfront and bold. The bright reds, yellows, and whites are laid down in confident strokes, and these colors aren’t shy. It's all pretty flat and graphic. The black lines, almost like little dashes, add a playful rhythm. Look at the way that red shape curls around the yellow; it’s like they’re dancing, totally absorbed in their own world. Okamoto reminds me a bit of Francis Picabia, who was also unafraid to mix it up. Ultimately, with works like this, there isn’t one right way to see it, and that’s the beauty of it.