Coral red Gekkoso, Kusakabe and Matsuda Super 2016

Yui Yaegashi made this painting with a tightly controlled palette of reds, oranges, and creams. I can imagine the artist working slowly, carefully applying the paint in thin, even layers to create a smooth, almost matte surface. What might Yaegashi have been thinking as she methodically filled each rectangle? Is she contemplating the subtle shifts in color, the interplay of light and shadow? The creamy rectangles feel like tiny breaths, or pauses. They interrupt the forward march of warm colors, adding a touch of coolness and calm. The horizontal brushstrokes emphasize the painting’s flatness and accentuate the linear quality of the composition. I think of Agnes Martin, another painter drawn to grids, lines, and quiet colors, yet Yaegashi's color palette feels totally unique, and it’s a fascinating contribution to an ongoing conversation between painters. Every brushstroke, every color choice is part of a visual language, a way of speaking without words. Painting invites uncertainty and ambiguity, and that is ok.