HIGHLIGHT

The present work RED 233 is by Shozo Shimamoto, a central member of the Japanese avant-garde collective the Gutai Art Association (“Gutai”). Founded in 1954 under the influence of Art Informel, which was sweeping the international art world at the time, Gutai became the first postwar Japanese art group to achieve significant global recognition. Under the leadership of Jiro Yoshihara, whose guiding principle was “Do not imitate others; create paintings that no one has ever seen before,” the group nurtured and brought together numerous artists of experimental spirit.
Shimamoto not only proposed the name “Gutai,” but was also a founding member who participated in all major Gutai exhibitions from its inception. Departing from conventional brush-based painting, he pioneered radical methods such as the “Cannon Painting,” in which paint was packed into a cannon-like device and explosively discharged onto the canvas, and the “Bottle-Crash” action, in which paint-filled glass bottles were hurled from heights onto the surface. Through these bold gestures, he expanded the possibilities of artistic expression and redefined the act of painting itself.
Such large-scale and highly experimental works earned acclaim not only in Japan but internationally. In 1998, at the exhibition “Out of Actions: Between Performance and the Object, 1949–1979” held at Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, Shimamoto was presented alongside Jackson Pollock, John Cage, and Lucio Fontana as one of the leading figures of postwar art. His works are housed in major museum collections, including Tate Modern in the United Kingdom. In 2006, he held lectures, crane performances, and a solo exhibition in Naples, Italy; the following year, with the support of the Fondazione Morra, the Shozo Shimamoto Association was established in Naples.
Created in 2008, during a period of sustained international activity, RED 233 represents a significant work from the artist’s later years. Composed primarily of red and white, the seemingly simple structure belies the explosive, flame-like movement of paint across the surface, conveying intense dynamism and passion. Balancing chance beyond the artist’s direct control with an unwavering creative vitality—Shimamoto continued discussing performance concepts with collaborators until his final days—the work radiates an extraordinary energy that defies its late date, standing as a powerful testament to his enduring artistic spirit.