虎 Tora

Tiger, 1964

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Lacquer on paperexpand_more

Gift of Mrs. Charles B. Meechexpand_more  91.112.10

Not on Viewexpand_more

The character tiger appears to morph into a tiger itself in this work. Instead of using a colored ink, Morita developed a technique in which he first wrote with an aluminum flake pigment mixed with PVA glue onto smooth black paper and then coated the written surface with lacquer. Morita was a proponent of “calligraphy without characters,” reducing writing to abstract forms that defy legibility. During the 1950s and 1960s, Morita actively communicated with European abstract artists and American abstract expressionists, acting as a bridge to promote calligraphic arts.

In East Asia, tigers are considered auspicious and are one of the twelve zodiacs.

Tiger

Details
Title
Tiger
Artist Life
1912 - 1998
Role
Artist
Accession Number
91.112.10
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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虎 Tora