Work 1970

Kazuo Shiraga made this untitled artwork with paint on paper, and I love how the whole composition feels like it was made in one swift motion. The piece is awash in a lively mix of reds and greens, colours that vibrate against one another, creating a sense of energy. Look at the way Shiraga wields the paint, leaving trails and splatters that document the physical act of painting. Those marks aren't just there to represent something, they are something in themselves. The central pink triangle feels like a hinge, setting the curvilinear shapes into motion. Think of Cy Twombly, or even some of the earlier abstract expressionists. Shiraga’s painting, like theirs, reminds us that art is a conversation across time, an ongoing exchange of ideas and experiences, that values ambiguity over simple answers.