Moyan & Etschan - Gutai | Sadamasa MOTONAGA x Etsuko NAKATSUJI | Exhibition Information

AKI Gallery will be presenting the masterpieces by Gutai maestros in March 2023! The exhibition “Moyan & Etschan - Gutai” by Sadamasa Motonaga (b.1922-2011) and Etsuko NAKATSUJI (b.1937-) depicts the spirits of Gutai and the source of picture books.

“Intimate lovers who are also mentors and friends on the road to art”

Moyan & Etschan - Gutai, the name of the exhibition comes from the nickname of Sadamasa MOTONAGA, a core member of Gutai, and his wife Etsuko NAKATSUJI. Japanese word "絵" has a double meaning, one is to explore Gutai's painting spirit, and the other is the origin of the creation of children's picture books. At the same time, the exhibition will present the artist's painting creation context from the early to the late period.

“The force creates by the enthusiasm of art”

Sadamasa MOTONAGA (b.1922-2011)

In the late 1960s, following a visit to New York where the Pop Art become a sensation, Motonaga developed techniques in spray and acrylic paintings, and revolutionized his obsession with abstract and colorful geometric figures. Motonaga’s work had become more abstract and featured flowing lines and pools of brightly colored pigment poured and dripped onto the canvas. This exhibition focuses on the series of his works from the 1980s to the 1990s.

(Sadamasa MOTONAGA | Five White | Acrylic on canvas | 24.2 x 33.3 cm | 1989)

(Sadamasa MOTONAGA | Splattered and shapes | Acrylic on canvas | 97 x 130.3 cm | 1998)

Etsuko NAKATSUJI (b.1937-)

In the early 1950s, initiatively inspired by the objects she had made for her son, Nakatsuji started to create human shapes composed from various elements. As an artist herself, she believes that all of us are living in transparent containers, and we then pour self-awareness and emotions into them, which thus the reason for who we are. Being Sadamasa MOTONAGA's wife and an artist, even though she is not belonging in Gutai she participated in the cultural innovation of the same period and was deeply influenced by its spirit.

(Etsuko NAKATSUJI | Work | Acrylic on canvas | 130.3 x 97 cm | 2018)

(Etsuko NAKATSUJI | Human Shape| Acrylic on canvas | 116.7 x 91 cm | 2017)

(Etsuko NAKATSUJI | Untitled | Acrylic on canvas | 91 x 72.7 cm | 2018)

2023.03.23-2023.04.09, come visit us at AKI Gallery to enjoy the spirit of Gutai!

Exhibition Details

• Moyan & Etschan - Gutai | Sadamasa MOTONAGA x Etsuko NAKATSUJI | Exhibition
• Date: 23 Mar - 9 Apr 2023
• Time: Tuesday-Sunday 12:00-18:30
• Venue: AKI Gallery
• Address: 141 Min Tsu W. Rd., Taipei, Taiwan

About the Artists

Sadamasa MOTONAGA (b.1922-2011)

Sadamasa MOTONAGA (b.1922-2011) was born in Mie-ken, Japan, and graduated from Nakanoshima Art Institute. In 1955, he created the first installation, Work (Water), which he hung vinyl tubes of varying widths filled with brightly-colored water in the open air that could catch the sunlight. Gutai leader Yoshihara Jiro declared it as “the world’s first water sculpture”. The Guggenheim in NYC commissioned the artist to recreate this work for the exhibition, Gutai: Splendid Playground, in 2013.

Selected exhibitions include Fergus McCaffrey, New York, USA (2015), Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas, USA (2014), Guggenheim Museum, New York, USA (2013), Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA (2012), Moderna Museett, Stockholm, Sweden (2012), Hauser&Wirth, New York, USA (2012), Stedelijk Museum Schiedam, Amsterdam, Netherlands (2011), 53rd Venice Bien-nale, Venice, Italy (2009). His work is collected by The National Museum of Art, Osaka, The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, Tokyo Metropolitan Aat Museum, Museu de Arte Moderna do Rio de Janeiro, Museum of Modern Art, The Dallas Museum of Art etc.

Etsuko NAKATSUJI (b.1937-)

Etsuko NAKATSUJI (b.1937-) was born in Senboku District, Osaka City. She graduated from Drawings at Nishinomiya civic art class. Her early work on doll installations has extended to the "human form" theme in painting for over fifty years. She constantly reflects on the representation and meaning of concrete shapes, which are seen to be the containers for spirituality, allowing viewers to project their true selves into the artwork through abstract forms.

Selected exhibitions include BB PLAZA MUSEUM, Kobe, Japan (2022), Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, Japan (2013), Museum of Mod-ern Art, Toyama, Japan (2005). Her work is collected by The Yamamura Collection of Hyogo Prefec-tural Museum of Art, Otani Memorial Art Museum, Nishinomiya City, Osaka Contemporary Art Center, Sakai City Cultural Hall, The Shuzo Takiguchi Collection of The Museum of Modern Art、Toyama.

Information Source: provided by AKI GALLERY