Norio Azuma: “Sea and Moon, No. 3” and the Emergence of a Modern Serigraphic Voice

The 1962 Bradley Print Show stands today as one of the most respected and historically significant forums for innovative American printmakers. Among the artists recognized that year, Norio Azuma distinguished himself with a work that captured both the jury’s attention and the spirit of the exhibition: “Sea and Moon, No. 3.” Awarded a Purchase Award—a distinction reserved for prints considered exceptional in artistic merit and technical execution—this piece marks a pivotal moment in Azuma’s early American career.

The print reproduced on the exhibition’s cover offers vivid insight into Azuma’s maturing visual language. While executed in serigraphy, the work carries a painterly sensibility. Its composition balances two dominant forms: a dynamic, fractured shape on the left and a serene, circular moon form on the right. The left side echoes the shifting surfaces of a shoreline—angular, textured, and in motion—while the moon creates a grounding counterpoint, smooth and contemplative. This tension between energy and calmness became a hallmark of Azuma’s abstract sensibility.

The inclusion of bold red accents is especially telling. These small but powerful gestures cut across the muted grayscale palette, introducing a sense of immediacy and emotional charge. Azuma’s decision to interrupt the harmony with flashes of red suggests not only a mastery of visual rhythm but also a willingness to push serigraphy beyond traditional boundaries. In “Sea and Moon, No. 3,” serigraphy becomes a medium capable of depth, gesture, and atmospheric nuance—qualities rarely associated with prints before artists like Azuma redefined the possibilities of the screen.

The fact that the Bradley Print Show chose this work for a Purchase Award signals how strongly the piece resonated with curators and print specialists. The Bradley Show was known for featuring some of the nation’s best printmakers; therefore, earning a Purchase Award in 1962 positioned Azuma among an elite group whose work was deemed worthy of institutional preservation. It is clear from the cover alone that Azuma’s work was not simply included—it was celebrated.

The composition reflects a sophisticated understanding of balance, fragmentation, and spatial tension. The moon form floats with quiet authority, while the layered, angular masses evoke the rhythm of tides and the shifting forms of light and shadow. The work bridges emotional expressiveness and structural clarity, suggesting Azuma’s training in both Japanese art foundations and the abstract movements that defined mid-century American printmaking.

Only from this one image, Azuma emerges as an artist deeply engaged with abstraction, structure, and the evolving language of serigraphic art. “Sea and Moon, No. 3” reveals a mature artistic voice—one confident enough to explore contrast, texture, and the quiet drama of natural forms. Its recognition in 1962 marks the moment when Azuma’s artistic vision was acknowledged as both innovative and enduring.