As an iconic figure in “Gutai,” the most important art movement of post-war Japan, Atsuko Tanaka used Gutai’s emphasis on the intrinsic nature of objects as a starting point to hone in on the “connection” between tangible and intangible objects, achieving a creative system that responded to the ebb and flow of the era. As a woman who was able to stand out in the predominantly androcentric art scene of 20th century Japan and gained worldwide attention, her talents and significance areshouldn’t not to be taken lightly.

Born in Osaka, Japan in 1932, Atsuko Tanaka grew up and completed her artist education in this ideologically advanced city. It was also in Osaka where Jiro Yoshihara announced the Gutai declaration in 1954, beginning the glory days of the pioneering art movement of post-war Japan. The art scene of Japan at the time was heavily influenced by western abstract art, which rose alongside the debate over whether Japanese culture should accept or oppose western ideas that have been ongoing since the Meiji Reform. Jiro Yoshihara was committed to creating opportunities for cultural regeneration by reexamining his views towards his own traditions; the artistic concepts of Gutai were derived from zen, emphasizing the original physicality and material aspects of all things. Through a clear view of the balanced interaction between the conflicting nature of the spiritual and the materialistic, the spirit of material spirituality is made concrete. As a key artist of the first generation of Gutai, Atsuko Tanaka released the famous “Electric Dress” at the second edition Gutai art exhibition in 1956. It was a dress made of more than two hundred colored light bulbs and lamps worn by the artist herself as a direct nod towards the relationship between human beings and physical energy, such as light and electricity. From this, Atsuko Tanaka developed a series of paintings that explore the intricate connections between mankind, objects, and energy.

Her works are often colorful, but her painting “Untitled” features a predominantly pink color palette that adds an emotional warmth to the debate and passionate pursuit of rationality. In the bright colors of the numerous circles that connect the intersections between complicated line“Untitled” presents Atsuko Tanaka classical and representative feminine style. Circles and lines make up a complex web that portrays the interconnections between different objects, like that of electric circuits that generate power, or the internal nervous systems of living organisms, which also refer to our ever-changing emotions, or the dynamics of biological chaos. The energy that flows in between is like that of electric currents or blood, where the rhythm of life and the non-living form a “space of resonance.” The bright green circle in the upper right hand corner cleverly injects a contrasting vitality into its reddish palette as a mystical energy weaves throughout the canvas. This exploration into the depths of Atsuko Tanaka’s mind also symbolizes the innovations and revolutions of an era of technology and ideologies. When renowned French art critic Michel Tapié spoke of Gutai in “A Mental Reckoning of My First Trip to Japan” in 1957, he wrote, “I have a deep respect for the whole group [members of “Gutai] ”as a group, but I would like to name four artists who should appear alongside the most established international figures: Shiraga Kazuo, Shimamoto Shozo, Yoshihara Jiro, and Tanaka Atsuko.” “I have seen evidence of Atsuko Tanaka’s importance in the artistic development of post-war Asia, and “Untitled” thoroughly presents the artist’s contemplations over the connection between the intrinsic nature of objects, their psychology and spiritual activity. In its seemingly messy yet clever layout, a thoughtful image full of an energetic rhythm is crafted.