Untitled 1964

Tsuruko Yamazaki made this ‘Untitled’ painting with what looks like household enamel on a canvas surface. The painting feels like a playful balancing act of colour and shape. It's a joyous riot! I imagine Yamazaki, brush in hand, almost dancing around the canvas, as she lays down these bright, bold swathes of colour. Look at the way she’s used the paint, sometimes thin and watery, other times thick and gloopy. The large orange form anchors the composition, while the blues create a sense of depth and space. Each gesture feels deliberate, like she's in conversation with the painting, responding to each mark as it appears. It makes me think of Helen Frankenthaler, another painter who wasn’t afraid to let the paint flow and do its thing. Artists are always in conversation, you know? This piece isn't trying to be anything other than itself, a space for pure, unadulterated joy.