2014 Catalogue Archive

Yasuo Sumi joined the Gutai Art Association in 1955, a year after it was formed, and remained a member until it dissolved in 1972. He became known for painting with everyday objects, such as combs, vibrating motors, and abacuses. The fine, parallel lines in his paintings – seen here in Work SY-P-15 – result in dynamic compositions of scraped and poured paint. True to the freedom of experimentation championed by Gutai, Sumi often combined a variety of tools and materials to make a single work. In this energetic work from 1962, Sumi combines india ink, enamel, and lacquer spray paint to generate a surprising range of surfaces and textures. Sumi’s work has been included in exhibitions at Tokyo City Modern Art Museum; Ashiya City Museum of Art & History; Guggenheim Museum, New York; Galerie National du Jeu de Paume, Paris; Auckland Museum; and International Center for Aesthetic Research, Turin, among many others.