Lot  023 Ravenel Spring Auction 2023

Ravenel Spring Auction 2023

Red & Red & Red Square

Sadamasa MOTONAGA (Japanese, 1922 - 2011)

1985

Acrylic on canvas

91 x 72.7 cm

Estimate

TWD 950,000-1,500,000

HKD 247,000-390,000

USD 31,500-49,700

CNY 216,000-341,000

Sold Price

TWD 1,080,000

HKD 276,215

USD 35,225

CNY 249,423


Signature

Signed lower right S.Motonaga and dated '85
Signed reverse S.Motonaga, titled Red & Red & Red Square in Japanese and dated 1985
This lot is accompanied with a certificate of authenticity issued by Motonaga Archive Research Institution, Hyogo, Japan (Registration No:#F(255)-85 )

+ OVERVIEW

Sadamasa Motonaga was a member of the "Gutai Art Association" from 1955 to 1971, before announcing his departure in the 1970s. Influenced by his early work creating cartoons and illustrations for newspapers and magazines, he began to focus on creating picture books. In the 1950s, he began experimenting with oil painting as a medium, using a "Poured paint" technique to drip paint onto canvas from containers such as metal buckets, which attracted attention from the West for its unique approach. In the 1960s, his abstract paintings created in the United States became brighter in color and featured circular combinations, combining forms of pictograms and human figures in his artistic creations. In the 1980s, he created a series of humorous paintings and published picture books such as "Moko Moko Moko" and "Lisa's Rebirth". "Red & Red & Red Square" is an important work from this period of picture book creation, featuring lively and vivid colors that create playful combinations. Viewers are immediately drawn in by the dazzling color composition. The simple lines and humorous graphics showcase Motonaga's innocence and humor to the fullest. Acrylic paint using a spray gun, layering bright neon colors such as vibrant red, fluorescent yellow, and lively orange on a simple and soft white background, colliding and constraining with each other. The bright and saturated colors, hard edges, and cartoon-like painting style also establish Motonaga's later artistic forms. Additionally, he creates art installations, sculptures, and performance art, exhibiting at the Venice Biennale in 2009. Motoi describes his humor as "Foolish Art" and his work as "Comic Art."
Related Info

Select: Modern & Contemporary Art

Ravenel Spring Auction 2023

Saturday, June 3, 2023, 4:00pm