The Latter, Mitsumasa Kadota, 2024

Kadota Mitsumasa  

Mitsumasa Kadota's "The Latter" (2024) is a compelling work that exemplifies the artist's mastery of abstraction, texture, and movement. Created with acrylic and carborundum on cotton, this painting continues Kadota's exploration of the dynamic relationship between materiality and perception. The title, "The Latter", suggests a counterpart, an evolution, or a response—perhaps a reflection on transformation and the passage of time.

Kadota's technique in "The Latter" is particularly striking due to its interplay between presence and absence, solidity and fragmentation. The composition is built upon sweeping strokes of white, grey, and black, interspersed with subtle hints of violet, red, and ochre. These colors emerge through layers of thick, sculptural paint application, creating a sense of depth and erosion, as though revealing an unseen history beneath the surface.

The use of carborundum enhances the painting's physicality, adding texture that interacts with light, giving certain areas a granular roughness while others remain smooth. This contrast heightens the viewer's sense of engagement, making the painting feel both tactile and ephemeral.

Kadota's work has been exhibited internationally, including at Lincoln Center in New York and the Sezon Museum of Modern Art in Japan. His continuous experimentation with abstraction and material innovation has earned him a place among the most intriguing contemporary painters.

"The Latter", painted in 2024, marks an important point in Kadota's evolving practice. It represents a refined, mature engagement with the themes of impermanence and transformation—ideas deeply rooted in his artistic philosophy. The scale (130.6 × 80.3 cm) makes it adaptable to various spaces while maintaining a strong visual presence.

In person, "The Latter" carries an undeniable presence. The thick, layered paint creates a sense of movement, as if the surface is in the process of shifting, breaking apart, or reforming. The composition is both structured and organic, with areas of smooth gradation juxtaposed against rough, textured regions where the paint appears scraped or eroded.

Hints of deep black create striking voids within the composition, while flecks of red and ochre subtly animate the otherwise monochromatic palette. The interplay between light and texture is crucial—certain angles reveal glossy highlights, while others emphasize the raw, almost geological quality of the surface.

Kadota's "The Latter" is a deeply evocative piece that bridges abstraction and material exploration. Its layered depth, textural interplay, and sophisticated composition make it an engaging work that invites prolonged contemplation. A remarkable addition to any collection, this painting offers a dialogue between movement and stillness, revealing new dimensions with each encounter.