Born in Mie Prefecture in 1922. In 1940, he joined what is now Nakanoshima Art School. In 1955, he joined the Gutai Art Association and remained a core member until 1971, studying under Jiro Yoshihara. Taking the unknown nature as the source of his creation, he presents experimental works expressing natural phenomena using novel materials, such as performances using smoke. Later, he attracted attention for his fluid abstract paintings, in which he poured paint and pigments directly onto the canvas, suggesting natural phenomena such as the flow of a river or cell division.

After staying in New York in 1966, he began again pursuing the comical and playful abstract paintings that had been his early style, and from the 1970s, he produced many picture books, including “Moko mokomoko” (text by Shuntaro Tanikawa). In the 2000s, Motonaga’s reputation was also solidified along with the reevaluation of Gutai art in foreign museums and art markets.

His piece titled Work uses a form of paint pouring. Paint pouring is one of Motonaga’s signature techniques, and was inspired by the “tarashikomi” technique of Japanese painting. His works using this technique were produced mainly between 1958 and 1966, when he moved to the United States. After carefully planning the composition, the paintings are created by slowly pouring paint onto an angled canvas. He also placed importance on chance within the inevitable. Although he would wipe off any paint that ran into places he didn’t like, he was amused by the unexpected expressions produced by the forces of nature that seemed to transcend his own will. In this way, Motonaga’s works can be said to be created by three elements: the physical properties of paint, the natural force of gravity, and the artist’s creativity.