Meesterwerken van Seiho 1937

This artwork, "Meesterwerken van Seiho" by Takeuchi Seihô, presents itself as a carefully constructed object. There is a lovely all over patterned background, then to the right a vertical rectangle in a solid contrasting colour. Finally a vertical rectangle is placed centrally with japanese calligraphy on it. The material aspect of the work is something to behold: the pattern on the left has a tactile quality, suggesting that it could be printed on fabric or paper with a slightly raised texture. The calligraphy is also really evocative, you can almost see the brushstrokes, the way the ink bleeds into the paper, a balance between control and chance. I am reminded of the work of Cy Twombly, especially his painterly calligraphic marks that evoke gesture and feeling. Both artists embrace the beauty of imperfection, of the human hand at work. It's this sense of directness and honesty that I find so compelling, an invitation to see the world with fresh eyes.