Tanaka Atsuko, "Untitled"

 

  Last week when selecting the image, I happened across this painting.  It made me curious enough to find the artist to discover more.          Upon doing a Google search, I discovered there are two Tanaka Atsuko's, the other being a current Japanese singer.  But our artist (1932 - 2005)  was a pioneering Japanese woman pushing the limits of her art.  She lived her entire life in Japan and received little international attention until the early 2000s.
    She was involved with a group, in the 1950s, called the Gutai Movement.  With them she created "happenings" and especially hers, were playful, whimsical inventions that resulted in a product. This group, and particularly Atsuko, were ahead of their time.  Today it is referred to as performance art.   
     This untitled work was done in 1964, just before Atsuko's personal life was to change.  Little is written about this painting, but the timing alone leaves us wondering if it was part of a live performance, or simply a beautiful work created on its own merits.  
  So what have we here?  I think it unwise to over speculate, but we see about seven "wheels" in different colors overlapping to a certain degree, then with some Jackson Pollock style running lines swirling it all together, and all on a near white background.  Every color in the color wheel is incorporated, with lines ranging from thick to very thin.   I find it very intense, but engaging.  I am not certain I could meet with this image everyday, but still I find it fun and certainly a challenge.
    Untitled was created in 1964.  It is an enamel on canvas and measures 35 5/8 inches by 28 1/2 inches.  It is part of the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.

  Make Art a part of your life, it's a beautiful thing to do.    

Comments

  1. Char HarguthJanuary 12, 2021 at 8:58 AM

    Oh my, not quite a Pollock! The "wheels" give it a solid base for the composition. Primary colors dominate, and the other lines are continuous. Performance art is an interesting concept, new to me. I had to look her up! Is this in response to her divorce and going back to live with her parents?? It leaves me feeling inadequate, so I won't try to "over speculate"!! It's always good to be challenged. Thank you.

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