Untitled 

This abstract work was made by Jiro Yoshihara, using oil on canvas. The thick black ground has an almost primordial feel. Look closely and you can see how Yoshihara has built it up in layers, creating a rich, textured surface. Onto this he has laid a looping white line, gestural and imperfect. It’s as though he has captured a moment of pure, unmediated expression. Yoshihara was a leading figure in the Gutai movement, a radical group of Japanese artists working in the post-war period. Gutai artists sought to break free from traditional art forms, embracing new materials and techniques, and emphasizing the act of creation itself. This painting, with its emphasis on process and materiality, is a powerful example of the Gutai aesthetic. It's a reminder that art is not just about the finished product, but about the labor, the materials, and the ideas that go into making it.