On the occasion of TEFAF Maastricht 2026, we are delighted to present a special exhibition devoted to the major Japanese artists of the New School of Paris—Toshimitsu Imai (1928–2002), Hisao Domoto (1928–2013), Kumi Sugai (1919–1996)—with a particular focus on the singular and visionary figure of Key Sato (1906–1978).
Key Sato, the eldest of this generation of Japanese artists who came to Paris in search of a breath of freedom, is regarded as one of the major figures of the New School of Paris. His work, positioned at the crossroads of painting, sculpture, and the fired arts, reveals an almost archaeological approach: patient, methodical, and meticulous. Through successive layers of pigment, he uncovers a world of fossils and vegetal or animal imprints, evoking both the constructed equilibrium of Nicolas de Staël and the vibrant geology found in Dubuffet’s work.
For these artists, Paris in the 1950s was a place of passage and cultural exchange, where discovery came with a new sense of freedom but also a certain solitude. Cut off from their roots, they confronted a productive face-to-face with themselves—one that allowed for complete devotion to their work and to the pursuit of new forms.
