Brown Tree

KIKUO SAITO (1939-2016) began painting at the age of 17, working as a studio assistant for renowned Japanese artist Sensei Itoh. This early exposure to both traditional and modern Japanese art deeply influenced Saito’s creative foundation. In 1966, drawn to the dynamic art scene in New York, Saito relocated from Tokyo with just one pair of shoes, a few tubes of oil paint, and $500 in cash. During the 1970s, Saito became deeply immersed in theater, working as a writer, director, and designer with the La MaMa Experimental Theater Club. During this time, he also pursued a career as an artist, assisting prominent figures like Kenneth Noland and Larry Poons. Saito also assisted Helen Frankenthaler, an influential artist in the second wave of the Color Field movement, known for her pioneering soak-stain technique.

Frankenthaler’s influence is evident in Saito’s early signature work 'Brown Tree,’ which showcases his mastery of color and form through bold, gestural strokes. Created in 1979, this remarkably pared back painting feature paint poured onto unprimed canvases, allowing fluid, organic, shapes to emerge naturally. That same year, Saito made the pivotal decision to devote himself exclusively to painting, transitioning from the collaborative energy of theater to the solitary focus of his artistic practice.

Saito has exhibited his work at KinoSaito, Verplanck; Fort Lauderdale Museum, Fort Lauderdale; Duke University Museum of Art, Durham; Galerie Rüdiger, Schöttle, Munich; Altman Siegel, San Francisco; James Fuentes, New York; Leslie Feely Gallery, New York; and Loretta Howard, New York, among others. Saito’s work can be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Nasher Art Museum, Durham; The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield; and Edmonton Art Gallery, Edmonton, Canada.