Holes 1953

Shozo Shimamoto made this artwork "Holes," by puncturing a board with hundreds of perforations. The surface is monochromatic, and painted over, seemingly, in dark grey and black hues. The process of creation, it seems, was quite physical: a repetitive act of piercing that accumulated to create this field of voids. The holes themselves carry an inherent tension, marking the artwork with a sense of absence, each one alluding to a prior presence. The visual effect is reminiscent of textiles and woven fabrics, yet ironically, light passes straight through this. Shimamoto's emphasis on process prompts us to consider the work involved in its production, and how physical acts of making can embed social or cultural significance into the finished piece. Considering the attention that the artist dedicated to craft, we are encouraged to rethink the artificial hierarchy between fine art and craft.