Mitsumasa Kadota’s "The Former" (2024) is a strikingly introspective piece that delves into the interplay of form, texture, and negative space. This recent work by the artist demonstrates a refined, almost sculptural approach to abstraction, where the presence of absence is as significant as the movement of color. Executed in acrylic and carborundum on cotton, the painting possesses a raw, elemental energy—one that suggests erosion, memory, and transformation.