2017 Catalogue Archive

Tetsuo Mizu developed his individual approach to painting separate from other styles in Japan’s post-Gutai art scene. Working from the coded system of international maritime signal flags – where the alphabet is set up with a specific set of colors and patterns – Mizu builds abstractions embedded with meaning and color harmony. In this work, Bobo is spelled out in abstracted forms and melded geometry – the reddish orange flag shapes on the left and center stand in for letter the B and the angled red and gold sections are the signal flag for the letter O. Mizu carefully builds up the paint surface, resulting in a buttery texture that enriches his chosen palette. He has exhibited throughout Europe and Japan, including a commissioned stained glass installation in Barcelona.