Work 1994

Tsuruko Yamazaki's painting invites us into a vibrant world of abstract forms rendered in luminous pinks, blues, and reds. These shapes, though non-representational, evoke a primeval soup, reminiscent of the "horror vacui"—the fear of empty space that drives artists to fill every inch of the canvas. From ancient cave paintings to the intricate designs of illuminated manuscripts, this impulse reveals our deep-seated unease with nothingness. The dripping paint, a hallmark of action painting, connects us to the frenetic energy of creation. It echoes the Dionysian spirit, a celebration of the raw, untamed forces of nature and the subconscious. This harkens back to the ecstatic rituals of ancient Greece, where art served as a conduit for emotional release and spiritual transcendence. The canvas becomes a mirror reflecting our collective psyche, a reminder that art is not merely decoration, but a primal scream echoing through time.