<b>MIDDAY</b> / Hideo Hagiwara1959<b>SOLD</b></em>

Details

Hagiwara's works from the 1950s are totems of abstract expressionism that swept through the contemporary art world at the time. While the American abstract expressionist school chose to focus on the artist and the gesturing of the artistic process, Hideo Hagiwara decided to take an alternative route. Hagiwara created several designs in that vein but developed a unique voice.  

Midday, 1959 focuses on natural materials used in concert with subtle printing effects. Planks of wood with distinctive wood grain patterns were used to print bold and dark tones of gray, green, yellow, and black. A sole yellow rectangle may suggest the height of the light of day. The design is simple, elegant, and powerful. The work is deeply contemplative and poignant in its relative whisper in sharp contrast to the seemingly screaming work Pollack or Motherwell produced at this time.

Connoisseur's Note

Hagiwara's work from the late 1950s is among his most sought-after designs, due in part to their Zen-like sparse compositions and dramatic printing effects. This impression has thick applications of pigment resting on the surface of the paper. The pigments have a sheen that reflects light at various angles, providing an added layer of complexity and depth. This type of print opens to another world as you look more closely.