Takeshi Kawashima (Japanese, b. 1930). Large oil on canvas painting titled “N.Y. 54” depicting a gridded abstract composition of phallic and yonic suggestive images in shades of red and black, 1965. An early example of his iconic and bold New York series. Signed and dated along the verso. Further signed along an original segment of stretcher affixed to the new stretcher. Born in Takamatsu City, Kagawa prefecture, Japan, Kawashima would go on to attend the School of Fine Art in Musashino. It was in Japan that he would develop the gridded abstracts that he would become famous for. In 1963 he relocated to New York City and was invited to participate in the Museum of Modern Art’s (MoMA) major 1965 exhibition “The New Japanese Painting and Sculpture.” Solo and group exhibitions quickly followed including further exhibitions at MoMA and the Waddell Gallery. After living in the United States for over 50 years, he returned to Japan and opened the Takeshi Kawashima Art Factory on the “art island” of Naoshima. He assisted in establishing the Setouchi Triennale arts festival for the Seto Inland Sea. His works can be found in the permanent collections of the Norton Simon Museum and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Height: 68 in x width: 68 in.