Very good condition.
Signed on the lower right.
Signed and dated on the upper stretcher.

Born in 1940 in Kochi Prefecture, artist Sawako Goda (1940-2016) studied art at Musashino Art School (now Musashino Art University). In the 1960s, she became closely involved with the artists active in the avant-garde movement, she cultivated her unique artistic style away from the mainstream trends. Her oeuvre encompasses diverse mediums, including sculpture made from found scraps, painting, and photography.

In 1973, Goda created a small painting titled ‘Untitled’ (22 x 27.3 cm). In 1971, Goda had travelled to New York with her then-partner, Tomio Miki. During her time there, she found scraps of a photograph on the street, which sparked her interest in painting. Upon returning to Japan, she began painting. This work dates from the early stages of that transition. Despite she was only able to afford basic pigments on black and white, the work evokes an exquisite atmosphere capturing a mysterious yet intimate dynamic between a man and a woman. The painting was first shown at the Jiyugaoka Gallery, established in 1968 by art dealer Nobuhiro Jitsukawa (sadly closed in 1998). Unlike major galleries such as Tokyo Gallery and Miami Gallery, which targeted to institutions and affluent collectors, Jiyugaoka Gallery played a vital role in making contemporary art accessible to a broader public.

Jiyugaoka Gallery, Tokyo