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Shozo Hirai - Magnificent constructivist painting from 1980
€1,150€1,035-10%Bid from €855
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Batalha, PortugalOn Whoppah since July 2024 • 61 sales
Product description
Shozo Hirai (1948–2024) Painting on panel — Acrylic on MDF Dimensions: 56 × 41.5 cm Signature: Red wax seal “S.H – Shozo Hirai” on the back Condition: Very good (minor signs of studio wear) Framing: Work sold unframed Provenance: Artist's studio, Ixelles (Belgium) Period: 1975–1990
Explanation of the work: In this vertical composition, Shozo Hirai structures the pictorial space through a succession of colored rectangles, arranged according to a rigorous logic of balance. The flat areas of red, yellow, blue, and gray are articulated around a central axis, emphasized by a vertical red line that connects the different chromatic layers. The white background, left visible, acts as a breathing space that highlights the density of the colors and the sharpness of the black lines. This interplay of masses and voids, of warm and cool tones, establishes a measured tension, where geometry becomes rhythm and color, an inner vibration.
The work demonstrates a perfect mastery of composition: each element seems to respond to a principle of proportion and harmony, lending the whole an almost architectural dimension. The eye moves freely between the blocks, discovering a subtle balance between rigor and serenity.
Artistic Context
Between 1975 and 1990, Shozo Hirai pursued a pictorial exploration in Ixelles centered on the relationship between structure and meditation. Inspired by European Constructivism and Japanese Zen thought, he conceived of painting as a space of ordered silence, where geometry becomes a spiritual language.
This work fully illustrates this approach: the verticality of the motif, the clarity of the drawing, and the precision of the chromatic relationships convey a quest for inner harmony. Hirai manages to unite the rigor of calculation with the sensitivity of gesture, transforming the painted surface into a place of active contemplation.
Commentary: This painting on panel embodies the perfect synthesis of formal discipline and meditative depth characteristic of Shozo Hirai. Through the precision of its construction and the purity of its palette, it expresses a rare balance between strength and calm. A work originating directly from the artist's studio, it constitutes an essential testimony to the most accomplished period of his production, marked by the fruitful encounter between European Constructivist rigor and Japanese Zen spirituality.
Specifications
ConditionGoodColorsMulti ColorMaterialMDF (Medium-density fibreboard)Number of items1OrientationPortraitArt sizeMediumHeight56 cmWidth41 cmSigns of usageStains, Crack, Scratches
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About this seller
Batalha, PortugalOn Whoppah since July 2024 • 61 sales