Composition VII

This painting was commissioned by Neiman Marcus. In 1993, Tadashi Sato used the well-known form of the East Coast shell, the sand dollar, as the basis of this work and its abstract expressionist design. Within this framework, he also infused a sense of abstraction reminiscent of Mark Rothko, particularly in the use of color form squares, that are also reminiscent of Sato’s “stones in the water” design. You can see this influence in creating spacial integration of forms in the composition of the painting. The abstracted squares and Sand Dollar form are traversed by a line running through the upper part of the composition. It is a fascinating structure, further enhanced by Sato’s dynamic brushwork. His signature technique makes the surface almost glitter as you walk past it, revealing shifting, energetic forms. This is Composition VII by Tadashi Sato.

Ex Neiman Marcus Collection.

*Tadashi Sato*

Tadashi Sato was born February 6, 1923, in Kaupakalua east Maui.

His parents immigrated from Japan ( issei, first-generation arrivals ) . His father had worked as a pineapple laborer, merchant and calligrapher.

During World War II, he served in the 442nd Infantry Regiment and later attended business school in Honolulu. Later, he pursued his passion for art at the Honolulu Museum of Art and in New York.

His big break in the art came while he was working as a security guard at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Actors Charles Laugton and Burgess Meredith purchased several paintings during a visit to his apartment.

Between 1950 and 1960, he frequently traveled between New York and Hawaii, exhibiting his work both in Hawaii and on the mainland. In 1960, Tadashi, along with his wife Kiyoko and two children returned to the islands.

In 1965 Sato was honored by President Lyndon Johnson at the White House Festival of Arts, alongside artists such as Georgia O’Keeffe, Jackson Pollock and other American artists.

From 1960 until his death in 2005, he resided in Maui. Along with Satoru Abe, Bumpei Akaji, Edmund Chung, Tetsuo Ochikubo, Jerry T. Okimoto, and James Park, Tadashi Sato was a member of the Metcalf Chateau, a group of seven Asian-American artists with ties to Honolulu.

Tadashi Sato, recognized as an abstract expressionist, created abstract and semi-abstract paintings, mosaics, and murals, often inspired by the clear waters of Hawaii. His most famous work, “Aquarius,” is a 36-foot circular mosaic at the Hawaii State Capitol.

His art is held in public collections at institutions, including the University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and more.