Abstract Mixed Media Painting by Kai (Auction 2026-06-05, Lot 18B)

$449.75

Kai (American?, active XX-XXI). Abstract painting. Mixed media: ink and acrylic on foamboard. Signed at lower right. A bold and enigmatic composition unfolds through looping black ink lines and saturated fields of yellow, green, red, and blue, suggesting a figure without fixing it in place. The central form reads as simultaneously organic and psychological – a mask-like head or core encircled by color, with gestural lines tracing a body in motion, seated, curled, or in the act of becoming. The surface carries an immediacy that feels improvised yet intentional, where acrylic washes and linear marks remain visibly distinct, each asserting its role in the composition. The work resists narrative clarity, instead inviting associative reading. Its abstracted figuration recalls mid-century automatism and Neo-Expressionist drawing, where line functions as thought made visible. Size of painting: 12″ W x 18″ H (30.5 cm x 45.7 cm); of frame: 23″ W x 27″ H (58.4 cm x 68.6 cm)

The choice of foamboard as a support reinforces the directness of the gesture, emphasizing process over polish. Signed simply “Kai” at the lower edge, the painting stands as a self-contained statement – personal, intuitive, and unconcerned with explanation – allowing form, color, and motion to carry the expressive weight.

Provenance: private collection of important Hollywood family

Condition: Excellent. Mounted behind glass in custom frame. Has not been examined outside of glass but painting and frame both appear to be in excellent overall condition. Suspension hook on verso for display.