Funsyutu 1997

Kazuo Shiraga made this abstract painting, Funsyutu, with oil on paper and it feels like action happened. The making of this piece was clearly a process. Look at that black ink, so dense in some areas, so dispersed in others! The splatters are like a record of the energy expended. The thick strokes feel so physical, like a dance. It's almost like the artist was trying to capture a moment of intense energy. You can almost see him moving his whole body to make those bold gestures. That circular motion in the center kind of grounds the piece, like a whirlpool, while the drips and splatters give it a sense of expansion and freedom. It reminds me a little of Franz Kline, but even more raw. It's a reminder that art can be about capturing a feeling, a moment, an experience, rather than just a representation of something.