Mask 1975

Taro Okamoto made this painting "Mask", with bold colors and shapes. It's all about the push and pull of color relationships and how he applied the paint. I'm really drawn to that large black circle with the thick white ring around it. It stares right back at you, doesn't it? Okamoto wasn’t trying to trick you into thinking it’s anything other than paint on canvas. The paint isn’t blended; it’s laid on with confidence. It makes me think of artists like Francis Picabia, who weren't afraid to be a bit brash. This isn’t about perfection, it’s about the act of making, the energy of creation and Okamoto, like Picabia, seems to be having a great time with it. It’s more of a feeling, an openness, a question mark hanging in the air.