Rappa-Shu (Trumpeter) II 1959

Tadashi Nakayama's abstract print, Rappa-Shu (Trumpeter) II, created during a period of significant change in post-war Japan, reflects the mood of a nation grappling with modernization and the rise of consumer culture. Born in 1927, Nakayama emerged as an artist during a time when Japanese identity was being renegotiated against the backdrop of Western influence. The print, with its deconstructed form reminiscent of a trumpeter, complicates traditional notions of Japanese art. The vibrant colours and non-figurative shapes might reflect the optimism and energy of a society eager to embrace the new while still echoing traditional Japanese aesthetics. Nakayama once said, "I want to capture the essence of things, not just their appearance." In this work, he explores the essence of a figure, abstracting it to its emotional and symbolic core. This piece captures an experience of cultural transition – the dissonance and harmony, the familiar and the foreign – all merging to create something new.