Solstice 1954

Kenzo Okada made this painting, Solstice, with a muted palette of whites, blacks, blues, and earth tones, colors that almost feel like they're holding their breath. I get the sense that Okada built this painting up through layers, veils of color. The paint doesn't seem thick; instead, there's a quality of staining and rubbing, almost like he’s coaxing the image out of the canvas rather than imposing it. He's adding and subtracting, allowing the history of the painting to remain visible. The black marks toward the bottom, kind of like thick commas, are really interesting. I wonder if they're meant to be read like figures, or maybe they're just shapes, balancing the composition. It reminds me a bit of Franz Kline, but quieter, more reserved. Painters are always in conversation, borrowing and riffing off one another, so who knows? Ultimately, this painting feels less like a statement and more like a question, an invitation to look closely and consider what you see.