Paris in the 1960s was a city of boundless energy, but it was also steeped in the tension of the Cold War, a reality especially palpable for non-citizens like Yokoi. It was against this backdrop that she witnessed Nikita Khrushchev's motorcade pass through the streets of Paris in 1960, an experience that directly inspired her painting Red and Gray.
In an interview with Mark Whitney, Yokoi described the work as a meditation on the heart's resilience and survival amidst a gray, desolate world. The delicate touches of green she included in the composition symbolized the small flowers that persistently bloom along life's uncertain paths, untouched by human conflict. "They do not care about our wars," she reflected. "They exist in their own right and only seek the sunshine."
Teruko Yokoi (1924–2020): A Trailblazing Force in Post-War Abstraction
Teruko Yokoi was a pioneering Japanese-Swiss painter whose work seamlessly bridged Eastern tradition and Western modernity. Born in Tsushima, Japan, she trained under Kouki Suzuki and Takanori Kinoshita before moving to the United States in the 1950s. Studying under Hans Hofmann and Julian Levi, she developed a distinctive style blending Japanese aesthetics with American Abstract Expressionism. Her work gained international recognition with exhibitions at prestigious venues like the California Palace of the Legion of Honor, ICA London, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art.
Yokoi's artistic journey led her through New York, Paris, and Tokyo, where she became immersed in the avant-garde art scene, forging connections with Nancy Frankel, Mark Rothko, Joan Mitchell, Kenzo Okada, and Shirley Jaffe. A brief but impactful marriage to fellow artist Sam Francis in 1958 influenced her personal and artistic trajectory. After their separation in 1962, she chose to focus entirely on her craft, settling in Bern, Switzerland, where she continued to paint and print-make prolifically. Her work was celebrated in institutions such as Kunsthalle Basel and Kunst Museum Bern, and her legacy lives on through the Teruko Yokoi Hinageshi Art Museum in Japan. A lifelong artist, Yokoi remained devoted to her practice, creating works of bold abstraction and poetic nuance that continue to captivate collectors and art enthusiasts worldwide.
Representation
EMERALD ROOM | EMERALD EDITIONS represents the Estate of Teruko Yokoi in collaboration with select international galleries. The gallery serves as an official representative for the Estate, acting non-exclusively for works on canvas and paper and as the exclusive representative for all prints, multiples, and editions.
Acting as a direct source for the Estate’s certified works and archival materials, Emerald Room maintains close relationships with curators, museums, and private collectors internationally.
The gallery’s founder, Tai Francis Wallace, also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Teruko Yokoi Hinageshi Art Museum in Japan and is leading the Estate’s efforts to produce the first edition of the catalogue raisonné for Yokoi’s paintings.
Collectors, curators, and institutions who hold works by Teruko Yokoi are invited to contact EMERALD ROOM | EMERALD EDITIONS for consideration of inclusion and verification.