Whitestone Gallery Beijing is honoured to present "Freedom and Form of the Gutai: Tsuyoshi Maekawa and Yuko Nasaka” duo exhibition. This exhibition traces the artistic endeavours of both artists from the 1960s to their most recent works, the aim is to present their exploration and experimentation with the material, creative passion and inventiveness that be shown during their artistic career.

Both Tsuyoshi Maekawa and Yuko Nasaka were members of the Gutai Art Association, an avant-garde group founded in 1954 by Jiro Yoshihara in Osaka, and one of the most influential groups in the history of Japanese art. The group's slogan, "Do what no one has done before," is exemplified by each artworks’ distinct style and identity. Starting in the early 1960s, with the opening of the Gutai Pinacoteca and the addition of new members, Gutai's focus shifted from the physical and performative nature of the first generation to the use of unconventional materials and tools by its second generation, exploring the connection between picture plane and space. Tsuyoshi Maekawa and Yuko Nasaka were in the second generation - Maekawa employs various fabrics in his work, using techniques like sewing, cutting, and painting to express the tension of materials; Nasaka expands the boundaries of art with her continual exploration of circular forms.

Tsuyoshi Maekawa (b. 1936) has been using fabrics throughout his artistic career, using sewing machines, hand-stitching, and stretching to mould shapes, and they are enhanced by a vibrant palette, reflecting a strong Abstract Expressionism influence. His textured, relief-like surfaces lend a cutting-edge conceptual and emotional depth to his works, ranging from the primal spiritual force of the early 1960s to the passionate yet delicately flowing expressions in post-2000, prompting a re-evaluation of fabric as a material as well as initiating a dialogue between freedom and art.

Yuko Nasaka (b. 1938), influenced by her family's business in manufacturing measuring instruments, has been familiar with the form of the circle since childhood. Her work is deeply connected to the longstanding tradition of pottery in East Asia, inspired by the potter's wheel, she creates concentric circles and spiral patterns on circular plates. Her techniques, which include scraping and applying colours in a flowing texture and gloss, are related to the pottery craftmanship. Her works not only blend in various traditional aesthetics but also explore the beauty of circular motifs, creating a visual experience through repetition that resonates with "Kinetic Art" and "Op Art" that prevailed in Europe and America during the 1960s, thus endlessly extending and expanding the possibilities of art.

The exhibition also features selected works by iconic artists of Gutai, including Jiro Yoshihara, Kazuo Shiraga, Atsuko Tanaka, Shozo Shimamoto, Yasuo Sumi, Sadamasa Motonaga, Chiyu Uemae, Takesada Matsutani, Shuji Mukai, further showcasing the diverse and vibrant styles of the group.