Details

Toko Shinoda, born in Manchuria (occupied China), returned to Japan with fellow expatriates after the war, only to feel a deep sense of alienation in her homeland. This persistent feeling of displacement, however, granted her the liberty to defy the rigid societal expectations that constrained many women of her generation and pursue a career in the visual arts. Shinoda’s early work was profoundly shaped by the traditional art of calligraphy, expressed through the delicate strokes of sumi ink on paper. Yet, as global movements such as abstract expressionism began to take root, she gravitated toward abstraction, venturing beyond the confines of calligraphy to explore and fully embrace the language of abstract form.

Shinoda’s innovative contributions to abstraction quickly gained recognition, culminating in a successful 1953 exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Soon after, she moved to New York, where she would remain until 1958. While living in the city, Shinoda encountered the works of celebrated abstract expressionists like Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, and Robert Motherwell. These encounters left a lasting impact, as she later described these artists as "generous people" with whom she would engage in lively exchanges of ideas and opinions. During this period, her work was represented by Betty Parsons Gallery and placed in several prominent collections. Upon returning to Japan, Shinoda refined her approach, pushing her work into an even more expressive and abstract direction. By the 1960s, she had begun to experiment with lithography, adding hand-applied embellishments to her prints. This shift marked a turning point in her career, securing her acceptance in the Japanese art world.

This stunning painting is an original composition on artist board, complemented by silver leaf. The work is characterized by bold, abstract brushstrokes in rich tones of black, white, and gray, accented by a singular, striking application of red. The piece exhibits a remarkable sense of three-dimensionality, a quality that proves challenging to capture in photographs. It stands as a testament to Shinoda’s virtuosity, blending graceful, powerful gestural strokes with the dynamic, controlled chaos inherent in abstract expressionism.

Connoisseur's Note

Shinoda’s large-scale paintings are seldom available on the market, making this work an extraordinary acquisition for any discerning collector or institution. In impeccable condition, it is presented in its original silver-gilt frame.