White Circle with Cross Stripes 2004

Sadamasa Motonaga created this abstract painting using synthetic polymer paint—a medium closely associated with the rise of consumer culture in postwar Japan. The flat planes of color are punctuated by drip marks and splatters, suggesting a quick, gestural technique, but also a controlled sense of composition. Motonaga was a member of the Gutai Art Association, a radical group of Japanese artists who sought to break down the traditional boundaries between painting and performance, high art and everyday life. They embraced new materials and techniques, often incorporating elements of chance and improvisation into their work. The bold colors and simple shapes in this painting evoke a sense of playfulness and spontaneity, but also hint at the growing influence of mass production and consumerism on Japanese society. The drips and splatters might be seen as a reaction against the slick, impersonal aesthetic of industrial design. Ultimately, Motonaga's painting invites us to consider the relationship between art, labor, and the changing landscape of postwar Japan.