Kiyoshi Otsuka

Kiyoshi Otsuka (1944-2020), born in the mountains north of Tokyo, developed an early appreciation for nature that deeply informs his work. After leaving Japan, he studied at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris, where he was encouraged by the sculptor Akiyama, a friend and mentor. Otsuka later moved to New York to enroll at the Art Students League, studying under Knox Martin, and eventually worked in a studio at the Arts Westchester landmark building in White Plains.

Otsuka’s work often reflects the fluidity and depth of his natural inspirations. “Liquidity is often evident in some of my very abstract pieces. I recycle my own ‘ancient’ paintings, and these layers of experience meet with the immediate act of painting to accomplish deep color and space, and a tangible impression of natural form. I work with both a black and white as well as a colorful palette to explore nature in an abstract arena. The images I present speak to the beauty, intensity, and mystery of nature and our deep connection to its ever evolving and transformative power,” he explains.

The global impact of Abstract Expressionism after WWII influenced Otsuka’s approach, fostering a synthesis of Eastern philosophies and Western techniques. His energetic brushwork and emotive color fields echo traditional Asian art forms, such as calligraphy and ink wash, while his practice embraces impermanence, spontaneity, and interconnectedness. This fusion enables Otsuka to create work that transcends mere stylistic borrowing, offering a dialogue that engages both ideas and techniques.

Otsuka’s paintings have been exhibited in galleries in New York, London, Pennsylvania, and Japan, and are included in private collections in New York, Washington D.C., Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, and Paris.