Untitled 2014

Yui Yaegashi's untitled painting is made with subtle moves of the hand and the eye, I imagine. The canvas is built up with thin layers, like washes, that create a grid as a background for a stack of horizontal bars. I bet she was thinking about Agnes Martin, maybe also Sean Scully, as she worked and reworked the surface. What I find compelling is the muted palette and the small yellow rectangles that nudge the composition into being. It's a painting that takes its time. You can almost see the artist stepping back, squinting, and then stepping forward to adjust a line or tone. Yaegashi's touch feels intimate, like a quiet conversation between herself and the painting. I love the way the understated color choices create a feeling of calm, while the texture invites you to look closely and consider the painting as an object. In the end, it’s the modesty of the gesture that opens up a world of contemplation.