Shozo Hirai (1948-2024) - Constructivist Composition Circa 1980 On Panel

Shozo Hirai (1948–2024) Painting on panel — Acrylic on MDF

Dimensions: 49 × 37 cm
Signature: Red wax seal “SH – Shozo Hirai” on the back
Condition: Very good (minor wear)
Framing: Sold unframed

Provenance: Artist's studio, Ixelles (Belgium)

Period: 1975–1990

Presentation of the work

This composition, of great formal clarity, illustrates Shozo Hirai's mastery in the articulation of forms and colors.

Two vertical structures respond to each other in symmetrical balance, separated by a central space that acts as a visual breath. The flat areas of red and yellow, set against a light blue background, are delineated by bold black lines that lend the whole an architectural rigor.

The interplay of volumes and voids, of warm and cool colors, creates a silent dynamic, characteristic of the artist's meditative world. In this work, Hirai continues his exploration of geometry as a spiritual language. Each square, each rectangle becomes a unit of measurement, a beat of time, a trace of inner balance.

Artistic Context:

Between 1975 and 1990, Shozo Hirai developed a highly coherent body of work in Ixelles, outside the institutional art world. His work explores the encounter between the discipline of European Constructivism and Japanese Zen thought, where painting becomes an exercise in concentration and inner rigor.

This period marks a deepening of his research on geometry as an instrument of meditation. The artist does not seek to represent the visible world, but rather to order inner space through the purity of forms and the precision of chromatic relationships. Commentary: This painting on panel, both structured and serene, embodies the essence of Shozo Hirai's approach: a geometry imbued with light and breath.

Through the precision of its drawing and the restraint of its palette, it stands out as a work of balance and contemplation. A rare piece, directly from the artist's studio. A perfect example of the dialogue between constructivist rigor and Zen spirituality, at the heart of Shozo Hirai's pictorial practice.