Koushin-san 1980

Kazuo Shiraga made this painting, Koushin-san, and immediately I want to know what that means, Koushin-san? There are these big swooping gestures of thick paint in reds and blacks. The painting seems to have come into being via pure physicality: pushing, smearing, and swiping the viscous pigments. Look at those fleshy marks, like broad strokes made with an open hand, charging across the surface! I imagine Shiraga grappling with the canvas, maybe even using his whole body, channeling some primal energy into these gestures. It's like he's wrestling with the paint, trying to capture something raw and untamed. I'm reminded of the Gutai group that Shiraga was a member of, and their experimental approach to artmaking that blurred the boundaries between performance and painting. There's a real sense of freedom here, of letting go and allowing the material to dictate the form. The conversation between artists is endless, isn’t it?