Acrylic on canvas

45.5 × 53 cm. 17 7/8 × 20 7/8 in.

Signed in English and dated on bottom right; signed and titled in Japanese, dated on the reverse
PROVENANCE
23 Jan 2016, SBI Tokyo Modern and Contemporary Art Auction, Lot 199
Acquired directly by present private Asian collector from the above

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by Motonaga Archive Research Institution Ltd.

Drawing the Child-like Innocent Heart
The Kaleidoscope of Sadamasa Motonaga

As a member of the Gutai Art Association, Motonaga contributed greatly to the development of post-war contemporary art. In 1957, he was inspired by the traditional Japanese technique of “tarashikomi”, which pour or splash paint directly onto the canvas to present a natural and sporadic aesthetic. In 1966, he began to use spray paint to create gradations of colour, which, combined with his interest in children's books in his later years, led him to make naive and humorous expressions. His late work Bumps in Six Colours is one of his best works. His other works have been collected by the National Museum of Fine Arts, Osaka, Hyōgo Prefectural Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

In the painting, he depicted a kaleidoscope of the world in a childish yet naturalistic way. In the centre is a house with a red spire, symbolizing stabilization and peacefulness. The surrounding composition is derived from the symbols of everyday life. The work is colourful, full of orange, yellow, and grass green colours. It's like a light-hearted fairy tale that calls out to you and me with a long-lasting original aspiration.

Price estimate:
HKD: 50,000 - 100,000
USD: 6,400 - 12,700

Auction Result:
HKD: 69,600