Takao Tanabe, OC, OBC
(Canadian, b. 1926)
Cut Corners Series (Complete Hard-Edge Suite of 7 Works), c. 1968–1970
Screenprints / Serigraphs on heavy woven paper
Inscriptions: Each individually pencil-signed, dated, and editioned in the lower margin
Editions: Micro-editions of 15 and 20
Dimensions: framed 23.5 × 23.5 in, image size 18 × 18 in
(Uniformly framed suite of 7 works)
Condition: Pristine
Executed between 1968 and 1970 during Takao Tanabe’s time working across Vancouver, Philadelphia, and New York, this complete suite of seven hard-edge screenprints represents a landmark achievement from his celebrated Cut Corners period.
Departing radically from traditional rectangular framing, Tanabe physically notched and sliced the corners of the paper sheets, transforming flat prints into shaped, dynamic objects. By challenging the standard perimeter of the page, these irregular formats generate a compelling optical tension, tricking the eye into perceiving flat planes of screenprint ink as folded ribbon structures, isometric forms, and layered architectural spaces.
Together, the seven compositions demonstrate Tanabe's masterful dialogue with color and geometry. Vibrant pairings, such as burnt orange with cream, magenta with metallic gold, and emerald green with violet, stand alongside stark, high-contrast optical studies in grey, navy, and black. This suite remains a definitive document of late-1960s Canadian hard-edge abstraction.
Hand-pulled in tiny micro-runs of only 15 to 20 impressions, works from this late-1960s series are exceptionally scarce on the private market. Each sheet in this suite is individually pencil-signed, dated, and numbered by Tanabe.
While individual sheets from the Cut Corners series are held in major public art institutions across Canada, acquiring an intact, complete set of seven on the secondary market is virtually unheard of. All seven sheets remain in extraordinary mint condition, retaining their vibrant original ink saturation, bright paper bases, and razor-sharp line definition. Presented in clean, uniform archival framing, the portfolio offers a ready-to-hang, museum-grade architectural installation.
Order of Canada (OC) & Order of British Columbia (OBC): Appointed to Canada's highest civilian honors for his transformative contributions to visual art.
Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts (2003): Awarded for lifetime achievement in Canadian painting and printmaking.
Audain Prize for Lifetime Achievement (2013): Honored as one of British Columbia’s most influential post-war artists.
Educational Leadership: Served as Head of the Art Department and Artist-in-Residence at the Banff Centre for Fine Arts (1973–1980).
National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
Tate Modern / Tate Britain (London, UK)
Vancouver Art Gallery (Vancouver, BC)
Art Gallery of Ontario / AGO (Toronto, ON)
Glenbow Museum (Calgary, AB)
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (Victoria, BC)
Takao Tanabe, OC, OBC
(Canadian, b. 1926)
Cut Corners Series (Complete Hard-Edge Suite of 7 Works), c. 1968–1970
Screenprints / Serigraphs on heavy woven paper
Inscriptions: Each individually pencil-signed, dated, and editioned in the lower margin
Editions: Micro-editions of 15 and 20
Dimensions: framed 23.5 × 23.5 in, image size 18 × 18 in
(Uniformly framed suite of 7 works)
Condition: Pristine
Executed between 1968 and 1970 during Takao Tanabe’s time working across Vancouver, Philadelphia, and New York, this complete suite of seven hard-edge screenprints represents a landmark achievement from his celebrated Cut Corners period.
Departing radically from traditional rectangular framing, Tanabe physically notched and sliced the corners of the paper sheets, transforming flat prints into shaped, dynamic objects. By challenging the standard perimeter of the page, these irregular formats generate a compelling optical tension, tricking the eye into perceiving flat planes of screenprint ink as folded ribbon structures, isometric forms, and layered architectural spaces.
Together, the seven compositions demonstrate Tanabe's masterful dialogue with color and geometry. Vibrant pairings, such as burnt orange with cream, magenta with metallic gold, and emerald green with violet, stand alongside stark, high-contrast optical studies in grey, navy, and black. This suite remains a definitive document of late-1960s Canadian hard-edge abstraction.
Hand-pulled in tiny micro-runs of only 15 to 20 impressions, works from this late-1960s series are exceptionally scarce on the private market. Each sheet in this suite is individually pencil-signed, dated, and numbered by Tanabe.
While individual sheets from the Cut Corners series are held in major public art institutions across Canada, acquiring an intact, complete set of seven on the secondary market is virtually unheard of. All seven sheets remain in extraordinary mint condition, retaining their vibrant original ink saturation, bright paper bases, and razor-sharp line definition. Presented in clean, uniform archival framing, the portfolio offers a ready-to-hang, museum-grade architectural installation.
Order of Canada (OC) & Order of British Columbia (OBC): Appointed to Canada's highest civilian honors for his transformative contributions to visual art.
Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts (2003): Awarded for lifetime achievement in Canadian painting and printmaking.
Audain Prize for Lifetime Achievement (2013): Honored as one of British Columbia’s most influential post-war artists.
Educational Leadership: Served as Head of the Art Department and Artist-in-Residence at the Banff Centre for Fine Arts (1973–1980).
National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa, ON)
Tate Modern / Tate Britain (London, UK)
Vancouver Art Gallery (Vancouver, BC)
Art Gallery of Ontario / AGO (Toronto, ON)
Glenbow Museum (Calgary, AB)
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (Victoria, BC)
