Propogation S-4-C-P 1969

Matsutani made *Propogation S-4-C-P* without a specified date, and I see it as a careful, contemplative act. The shapes are so simple, and the colours are so direct, but there’s a lot going on beneath the surface. The way the red almost bleeds into the cream at the bottom is great. It’s not perfectly clean, but it has this soft, porous edge that gives it a life of its own. It makes me think about the way things grow, not in a controlled way, but in a kind of wild, unruly way. It reminds me of the early work of Barnett Newman, where he was trying to arrive at a universal, essential form, but with a kind of raw, human touch. Ultimately, I think this piece is about embracing the unpredictable nature of making. It’s about letting go of control and allowing the materials to do their thing. And that’s something I can definitely relate to.