Kenzo Takada (Japanese/French 1939-2020) Monumental Suite of Four

Legendary Japanese fashion designer and artist Kenzo Takada's Ode to the Four Seasons is a monumental suite of four mixed-media paintings, depicting Hiver (Winter), Printemps (Spring), Automne (Autumn), and Ete (Summer), created for his acclaimed third international art exhibition in Buenos Aires (2009). Blending Japanese aesthetics with Western abstraction, the canvases feature stylized female figures outlined in bold black, vibrant color layering, and seasonal hand-painted kanji characters, with Automne uniquely incorporating collaged dried organic foliage. Utilizing a highly expressive technique, he combined traditional delicate brushwork with bold, gestural expressionism, experimenting with paint layering and heavy textures to pay homage to masters like Monet, Pollock, and Picasso. Because transporting completed large-scale artworks from Paris to Argentina proved logistically complicated, Kenzo famously chose to travel only with his initial sketches and painted the final monumental canvases directly inside the Buenos Aires gallery. This hands-on process, born out of necessity and a personal friendship with the gallery owner, allowed the "Magician of Color" to infuse the suite with a spontaneous, site-specific energy that beautifully captures his transition from fashion icon to fine artist. Each canvas bears a hand-painted kanji character identifying the season, while the versos are individually titled, signed, dated 2008/09, and inscribed by the artist. Sight size: 39"W x 70"H. Dimensions: 40.5"W x 72"H Condition Request Condition Report Good

Estimate:£33,920.32

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