Mikel Savage’s Favorite Ushio Shinohara Works
Art speaks loudest when it’s unapologetic, raw, and untamed. That’s exactly what draws Mike Savage of New Canaan to the iconic and rebellious world of Ushio Shinohara. Known for his boxing paintings, eccentric sculptures, and kinetic energy, Ushio's work is a celebration of movement, chaos, and creativity a language that Mike understands fluently.
A passionate collector with a unique eye for bold visual statements, Mike Savage from New Canaan has grown deeply connected to Ushio’s art over the years. He doesn’t simply display these works, he lives with them, letting their energy fuel his own personal and creative pursuits.
Let’s explore a few of Mike Savage’s favorite works by Ushio Shinohara, and why these pieces hold a special place in his ever-evolving collection.
1. Boxing Painting Series
This is the series that put Ushio Shinohara on the global art map. With boxing gloves wrapped in sponges and soaked in paint, Ushio throws literal punches onto canvases in bursts of movement and color. Mike Savage in New Canaan, these pieces represent raw passion and unfiltered energy.
Mike is drawn to the physicality of the artwork the way each strike captures a moment of action, intention, and rebellion. In a world of minimalism, these paintings are loud, untamed, and beautifully honest.
2. Motorcycle Sculptures
Made from found objects and scrap materials, Ushio’s motorcycle sculptures blend chaos with innovation. These colorful, wild, larger-than-life works are a nod to American pop culture and Japan’s avant-garde spirit.
Mike loves how these sculptures break the rules of traditional form. In his New Canaan home, one such piece sits in a private showroom alongside his restored muscle cars. It’s a natural pairing of two art forms automotive and sculptural that both demand attention and respect.
3. Doll Festival Installations
These installations are a vibrant, chaotic tribute to traditional Japanese festivals. Using neon colors, layered materials, and expressive characters, Ushio reinvents cultural themes through a modern and rebellious lens.
Mike Savage of New Canaan appreciates the balance in these works honoring tradition while turning it on its head. These pieces reflect Mike’s belief that honoring the past doesn’t mean being limited by it. Art, like life, should evolve.
4. Silkscreen Works and Pop Art Interpretations
Ushio’s lesser-known silkscreens and mixed media prints showcase his love for American pop icons and cartoon motifs. Bright, aggressive, and often ironic, these pieces are a sharp contrast to conventional printmaking.
Mike enjoys how these works reveal Ushio’s playful side. In his personal study, a few framed pop-art style prints bring a burst of energy to the room, surrounded by other collected items from his journeys across art fairs and exhibitions.
5. Collaborations and Documentary Artifacts
As a fan of Cutie and the Boxer, the award-winning documentary about Ushio and his wife Noriko, Mike has collected memorabilia and collaborative works that capture the emotional side of Ushio’s journey.
These pieces are more intimate, revealing the relationship behind the artist’s public image. Mike Savage in New Canaan, these artifacts are a reminder that behind every punch of paint is a life full of struggle, love, and artistic drive.
“To me, Ushio’s art is alive,” says Mike Savage. “Every piece has movement, energy, and truth. You don’t just look at it, you feel it. It pushes back at you. That’s what great art should do.”
Living in New Canaan, a place of serenity and reflection, Mike finds Ushio’s rebellious work to be a powerful contrast, a burst of chaos in a world that too often demands calm. His favorite pieces reflect his own bold approach to life, business, and self-expression.
Mike Savage, collecting Ushio Shinohara’s art is not about owning something rare. It’s about living with something real.
