Tsuyoshi Maekawa

Tsuyoshi Maekawa was a member of the Gutai Art Association and participated in the 8th Gutai Exhibition at the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art in 1959. Following Maekawa's first solo exhibition at the Gutai Pinacotheca in 1963, he participated in every Gutai event until the group's eventual dissolution following Yoshihara's death in 1972. Maekawa uses linen cloth to create paintings that have uneven surfaces resembling relief sculptures. His style focuses on the materiality of 'physical things', unlike other GUTAI artists who are more inclined to Abstract Expressionism. By utilizing the flexible but rigid properties of linen cloth, Maekawa achieved a wide range of expressions, ranging from bold and powerful to flowing and smooth. First, he lays a canvas painted with oil paint flat on the floor and applies pieces of linen cloth dipped in glue onto the canvas. Then, while the glue is still setting, he shapes the fabrics into various forms and cuts them open, partially revealing the painting underneath. This style of expression, which reveals the painting through the gaps in the brown linen fabric, evokes a similar sensation similar to looking out through an open window. It also creates a sense of depth and perspective, providing the viewer with a unique visual experience. By creating tableaux in two stages, using a canvas painted with oil and linen cloth dipped in glue, Maekawa pioneered a new field of material painting. This innovative approach produces a unique stereoscopic effect and imbues the artwork with a sense of depth and space. After the dissolution of GUTAI, Maekawa further developed his style of paintings by incorporating dungarees and presenting works composed of delicately sewn softer fabrics using a sewing machine. These artistic endeavours earned him many awards in the 1980s. ABOUT GUTAI »