Koushin-san 1980

Kazuo Shiraga made this painting, Koushin-san, with oil paint, and just look at the marks! They speak of an immediate, physical approach. The surface is alive with thick, luscious strokes of red, punctuated by yellow and white. It’s a symphony of textures, from smooth gradients to rough impasto. Zoom in and you can almost feel the push and pull of the brush or whatever tool Shiraga used. Look at the way the colors blend and bleed together in the lower center. It’s a small, chaotic dance that mirrors the larger movements throughout the canvas. You can see the influence of Gutai, the radical Japanese art movement that embraced performance, action, and the pure materiality of paint. Think of someone like Franz Kline who brought a sense of dynamic gesture and raw energy to painting.