Le Noir

A woodblock print titled "Le Noir," French for "The Black," reflecting Kumi Sugai's deep engagement with the expressive power of darkness and negative space. Sugai spent decades in Paris, and his French-language titles mark the cultural dialogue at the heart of his practice. Black was not merely a color for Sugai but a force, recalling the sumi ink of Japanese calligraphy and the bold contrasts of traditional hanga. This print likely presents a commanding dark form, possibly geometric or semi-calligraphic, asserting itself against a lighter ground with the directness of a brushstroke frozen in wood.