East 

Here is a print entitled “East,” by Tadashi Nakayama. The artwork is dominated by an abstract rendering of a horse set against a dark, mottled background. The horse, rendered in a silvery-gray, seems less a depiction of flesh and blood than an assemblage of shapes and textures. The horse is stylized, almost glyph-like, with segmented lines across its body and a mane resembling organic, flowing forms. These features contrast with the solidity one might expect, creating a sense of the animal as an elemental form. The single, bold red circle near the horse's legs introduces a stark geometric contrast to the more organic shapes, and the dark background isn’t merely a backdrop but an active element, its textured surface suggesting depth and movement, complicating our reading of figure and ground. This invites us to think about how Nakayama destabilizes the traditional symbolic meanings associated with the horse, presenting it instead as a study in form, texture, and the interplay between organic and geometric elements. It’s a cultural symbol re-imagined through a distinctly modernist lens.