Untitled blue and red abstract, 1967 Oil on canvas Signed in English and Japanese, dated and inscribed verso: Domoto / NY 30" H x 58" W Provenance: Nantenshi Gallery, Tokyo, Japan Sale: Sotheby's Hong Kong, "EYE / EAST," May 22, 2020, lot 5009 Private Collection, purchased from the above by the current owner Notes: Hisao Domoto felt stifled by the traditional Japanese painting of his upbringing. He made his way to Paris to study art after World War II. He felt freer to experiment with texture, color, form, and constructivism. After winning several prestigious awards, he garnered recognition in Europe through representation at Stadler Gallery in Paris. His paintings in the mid-1960s employ pattern evocative of tire tracks. Domoto's use of primary colors accentuate the complexity and division between physicality and composition. The present work contrasts from his earlier loose and expressive style, where he uses muted tones and a free-flowing hand. In 1966 Domoto began employing more geometric shapes and a year later, his work relied heavily upon circular forms. These shapes became a crucial building block within his work. In 1967 Domoto's career transformed when his atelier closed in Paris and he returned to his homeland in Tokyo. Domoto would say, "For me, Paris was a place for thinking. New York was a place to work. Tokyo was a place to have a good time."