Art can build bridges. Take Sam Francis, for example. He’s one of the most important figures in Abstract Expressionism. A Californian, he traveled to Japan in 1957 and stayed for a while, connecting with writers, artists, and architects.
Why call him a bridge builder?
It’s remarkable. Just 12 years after Hiroshima, he immersed himself in Japanese culture, driven by a genuine interest in its people. He wanted to learn, exchange ideas, and grow. His paintings breathe with white space—not just empty space—symbolic space inspired by the Japanese concept of Ma (間). Ma. The space that remains. The space that connects. It’s not just design. It’s relationships, too. Not too close. Not too distant. A space not of separation but of connection. And I think Sam Francis got it. He came from a very different culture, yet he embraced Ma. He explored it through his art—an idea so deeply rooted in Japan that it has no equivalent in the West.
Maybe we should adopt it. Heaven knows we’ve borrowed enough Anglicisms. He didn’t stay in Japan forever. He returned to California, where he eventually passed away. But the influence remained. To honour him on his 100th birthday, LACMA hosted Sam Francis and Japan: Emptiness Overflowing. A fitting title for someone who bridged two worlds with his art—a bridge of understanding, space, and beauty. I was honoured to design the beautiful book for this exhibition, a project that celebrates his legacy and the connections he created through his art.
