Retrograde by Naoto Sunohara presents a dense, shifting field of sumi ink marks that resists fixed orientation. Built through layered brushwork – scraped, dragged, and splashed – the composition evokes geological pressure rather than descriptive landscape. Forms appear to emerge and collapse simultaneously, suggesting motion that turns inward rather than forward. Like many of his works, Retrograde reflects Sunohara’s move away from direct transcription of mountains toward a more abstract, psychological space. The painting records accumulated gestures and chance effects, translating prolonged contemplation of mountainous terrain into a compressed, introspective visual language.
