Circus In The Square 1987

Hiro Yamagata made this print called 'Circus in the Square' in an unknown year with, I think, offset lithography. The whole thing feels like a build-up of layers, almost like he was creating a collage with his colours. There's a dense flatness that throws you off, like it's a dream you can't quite touch. Look closely, and you'll notice this amazing texture in the colours, this grain that gives it a pulse. That’s the process talking! The crimson sky, almost bleeding into the buildings, brings this sense of depth but the density of figures at the bottom flattens that depth out again. That red, like a hot blush, clashes beautifully against the blue, making the whole thing vibrate with this strange energy. I'm reminded of the American artist Red Grooms who had a similar naive take on figurative subjects. It’s like Yamagata is saying, hey, art doesn't always have to make sense; it just needs to make you feel something.