Work 1967

Tsuruko Yamazaki made this painting, Work, with enamel paint, and you can really feel the freedom she must have experienced in the process. The colors are so bold and the marks so direct, there’s a sense of immediacy, like she’s responding to something in real time. I love the way she layers shapes and lines, creating a kind of visual puzzle for us to unravel. The big blue and black circles anchor the composition, but then your eye darts around, catching all these little details – the scribbled lines, the bright yellow patches, and that small blue square near the bottom. It all feels so intuitive, like she’s not afraid to make mistakes and just keeps going. It reminds me a little of Helen Frankenthaler’s work, that same willingness to let the paint do its thing and see what happens. But Yamazaki has her own distinct voice, a kind of playful energy that's totally infectious. To me, this piece is about embracing the unexpected and finding joy in the act of creation.