Masatoshi Masanobu

Masatoshi Masanobu is one of the lesser known founding members of the Gutai Art Association, but none the less significant, as he produced a remarkable amount of paintings around 1960. As is common to the work of all Gutai artists, Masanobu's practice entails an authentic and personal approach to creation and materiality.

Masanobu's important works show expression, movement, vibration, and seem to change infinitely. He creates multi-layered textures of oil paint and enamel on top of which he applied numerous little brushstrokes and scratches revealing the colours of the layers underneath. As if it were the artist’s signature, each symbol on the canvas is the product of repeated hand movements. These gestures seem automatic, as though he created art out of total freedom. The language of Masanobu’s work is like painting before painting; like writing before writing. Masanobu describes his own works as "direct expressions”.