Through the arch

A gateway between worlds —

Through the Arch features Satoru Abe’s well-known “stick figure” motif, rendered in warm, earthy tones and abstract form.

It may reference the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, and possibly Abe’s time serving in the 442nd Infantry Regiment during World War II — a deeply personal chapter in his life.

Born in Honolulu in 1926, Abe was a central member of the Metcalf Chateau, a collective of pioneering Asian American artists.

In the 1950s, he and other members moved to New York, where they helped shape Mid-Century Abstract Expressionism alongside major figures like Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, and the now-legendary Irrascibles.

This painting is rich in symbolism, identity, and historical weight — a rare opportunity to collect work by one of Hawai‘i’s most important modern artists.