GUEST - Sugai Kumi - Japan

GUEST | Sugai Kumi 菅井汲(すがいくみ)

This is a complete set of 5 prints entitled "GUEST" by Sugai Kumi, published in 1980.

Sugai Kumi's career is broadly divided into early, middle, and late periods. The year 1980, when "GUEST" was produced, corresponds to the peak of his signature geometric abstract style (hard-edge) during his middle period.

Early Period (1950s):
The period immediately after moving to France. He expressed indigenous and Eastern Japanese themes, such as "oni" (demons) and "characters," using heavy, thick impasto textures.

Middle and Late Periods (late 1960s–1980s):
He drew inspiration from the thrill of driving his Porsche at 200 km/h on the highway (Autoroute). Completely eliminating emotion, he transitioned entirely to clear straight lines, curves, and circles, drawn as if using a ruler or compass, combined with sophisticated primary color schemes.

There are five variations, from GUEST I to GUEST V, all precisely finished by Ishida A, one of Japan's leading contemporary printmakers.

Exquisite Intersection of Stillness and Motion:
Geometric shapes such as circles and straight lines are intricately combined on the surface, coexisting with a calculated visual rhythm (motion) and a rigid, graphical sense of stability (stillness).

Urban and Poetic Atmosphere:
A minimal composition reminiscent of traffic signs, modern architecture, and highway lines. While modern to the point of being coolly analytical, it conveys a light and poetic urban atmosphere.

Title "GUEST":
During his lifetime, Sugai preferred specific words such as "Signal," "Festival," and "Highway" over "Untitled" for his works. The arrangement of geometric shapes in this work creates an intellectual drama of space, as if "GUESTs" invited into the space are interacting or passing by each other with an exquisite sense of distance.

46 years have passed since its creation. This complete 5-piece set from the same edition is extremely rare and serves as valuable material for understanding the history of Sugai Kumi.

Artist Profile:
Sugai Kumi (1919–1996) was a leading Japanese Western-style painter and printmaker who was active internationally, based in Paris after the war. His real name was Teizo.

Accessories: Colophon, cloth dedicated case

Dimensions & Weight: Height 64.8 cm, Width 50 cm. Weight 508.5 g.

Technique: Silkscreen on paper

Signatures: Hand signed

Edition: Limited edition (30/150)

Conditions: Excellent condition. There is a fold crease on one side of every sheet.

Shipping:
We will ship by EMS or DHL.
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