Edward Zutrau Was a Chromatic Rebel

"Born and bred in Brooklyn, Zutrau studied with the painter Will Barnet, and was briefly inspired by his mentor's abstract " Indian Space " period. In 1955, Zutrau, then in his early 30s, married a woman from Japan, where the couple moved soon after. During his time in the country, he exhibited his work there, but not in the United States."

"He returned to New York in 1967 and had three solo shows with Betty Parsons between 1972 and '80. Though Parsons became a close friend, he seems to have received little attention for his art. Calvin Tomkins mentions him only in passing in a 1975 New Yorker article on Parsons, and he is not on Wikipedia. Zutrau finally gained some attention just a few years ago."

"It can be far easier to see similarity than to discern difference, but since none of these reviews jibed with the images I saw online, I had to see the art for myself. Of the 12 paintings on view, all in oil on linen or canvas and dating from 1956 to 1984, seven were made while he lived in Japan. Though the majority are small, four mid-sized and large paintings form the heart of the show."

Edward Zutrau combined the reductive strain of Abstract Expressionism with principles and stylistic elements of Japanese ink painting to form a personal visual language. He was born and raised in Brooklyn and studied with Will Barnet, briefly engaging with Barnet's 'Indian Space' period. In 1955 he married a Japanese woman and moved to Japan, where he exhibited his work. He returned to New York in 1967 and mounted three solo shows with Betty Parsons between 1972 and 1980. Historical attention was limited despite affinities with Rothko, Clyfford Still, and Color Field tendencies. Twelve paintings dated 1956–1984 were presented, seven made in Japan, with four mid-sized and large canvases anchoring the group.

Read at Hyperallergic