Norio Imai, Gutai Works

Norio Imai’s art is reflective of an increasing shift toward the feminine, which is one of the most significant changes currently taking place in the world we live in. His works may be described as maternal, with fluid and matrixial qualities gaining importance over unambiguous masculinity. In a complete pureness, his works embrace all possibilities.

From the very start of his artistic career, Imai challenged the dogma of artistic convention. He placed material underneath the surface of his work to create bulbous reliefs that occupied a space in-between object and painting.

Imai creates monumental monochrome white paintings out of almost nothing. He considers white to be the ultimate colour, a non-colour that combines all colours in perfect harmony. Imai often repaints the surface of a piece with an additional layer of paint to preserve the depth and purity of the whiteness. To him, white is a landscape made up of nothingness and emptiness.

The void, full of hope and meaning, is the dimension that connects mankind. It’s a universal concept understood in all cultures, which crosses the boundaries of time. The urge for new beginnings was found all over Europe during the 1950s and ‘60s. Parallel art movements such as the Italian Azimut, German ZERO and Dutch Nul, were all looking for a fresh start. Similarly, Western artists explored the concept of the unknown and the void in order to move forward.

From 1965 onwards, Imai added projections and moving structures to his works, creating a more kinetic type of art. After the break-up of the Gutai Art Association in 1972, Imai began experimenting with photography and video, with which conceptual tendencies were strengthened. Despite his deep engagement with digital media, his work ultimately points back to the importance of “lived” time, materials and human interaction.