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Lot Essay
'Sensuality for Matsutani reverberates in all things. He creates his own terrain, a matrix of energy that is a fertile landscape from which flow pure manifestations of life. This matrix requires us to tap into our own intuition and gives us a poignant message that gently invites us to embrace our own sensuality.' (Matsutani: A Matrix by Midori Nishizawa in Takesada Matsutani, A Matrix, Hauser & Wirth, JRP Ringier, 2013, p. 7)
The name Gutai refers to "concreteness", expressing physical embodiment, as opposed to representing abstract thought, thus it was at the core of the Japanese Gutai group's mission to engage directly with their materials; this principle is never more evident than in the work of Takesada Matsutani. Concretism was not confined only to Japan, but rather was part of the global Post-War era discourse, in which artists were disaffected by the world's moral and physical ruin. In this sense, the organic surfaces Matsutani conjures from his canvases have also been compared to human body—ruptures like sores on colourless skin.
In his quest to transcend the apparent limitations of his medium, Matsutani holds a similar approach to French artist Pierre Soulages, who, even though he remains strictly attached to painting, investigated its three-dimensionality as well. In his latest and most radical series 'outrenoir' (literally 'beyond black') Soulages creates paint's impastos to enable the reflection of light from the black surface. Where Soulages forces the acrylic paint into ridges, Matsutani presents his material in its most authentic form, refusing to distort it to conform to his own intent. In this way, Matsutani allows the materials to speak with their own voice and to break through the restrictive concepts of painting, thus establishing new imaginative spaces between two-and three- dimensions.
Explaining the evolution of the process of combining graphite with glue, Midori Nishizawa writes ‘Matsutani continues to be inspired by the sensual tactility of his vinyl glue. His method, though, has become more meditative and methodical, particularly in the added layering of graphite strokes. As he oversees the fluid movement of the glue, he releases various organic forms suspended in a "becoming" state of undulating waves and curves. The graphite lines drawn repeatedly over this relief surface reveal multiple shades of deep metallic grey and exude vibrations of submerged sensuality.’
(Matsutani: A Matrix by Midori Nishizawa in Takesada Matsutani, A Matrix, Hauser & Wirth, JRP Ringier, 2013, p. 7)
The name Gutai refers to "concreteness", expressing physical embodiment, as opposed to representing abstract thought, thus it was at the core of the Japanese Gutai group's mission to engage directly with their materials; this principle is never more evident than in the work of Takesada Matsutani. Concretism was not confined only to Japan, but rather was part of the global Post-War era discourse, in which artists were disaffected by the world's moral and physical ruin. In this sense, the organic surfaces Matsutani conjures from his canvases have also been compared to human body—ruptures like sores on colourless skin.
In his quest to transcend the apparent limitations of his medium, Matsutani holds a similar approach to French artist Pierre Soulages, who, even though he remains strictly attached to painting, investigated its three-dimensionality as well. In his latest and most radical series 'outrenoir' (literally 'beyond black') Soulages creates paint's impastos to enable the reflection of light from the black surface. Where Soulages forces the acrylic paint into ridges, Matsutani presents his material in its most authentic form, refusing to distort it to conform to his own intent. In this way, Matsutani allows the materials to speak with their own voice and to break through the restrictive concepts of painting, thus establishing new imaginative spaces between two-and three- dimensions.
Explaining the evolution of the process of combining graphite with glue, Midori Nishizawa writes ‘Matsutani continues to be inspired by the sensual tactility of his vinyl glue. His method, though, has become more meditative and methodical, particularly in the added layering of graphite strokes. As he oversees the fluid movement of the glue, he releases various organic forms suspended in a "becoming" state of undulating waves and curves. The graphite lines drawn repeatedly over this relief surface reveal multiple shades of deep metallic grey and exude vibrations of submerged sensuality.’
(Matsutani: A Matrix by Midori Nishizawa in Takesada Matsutani, A Matrix, Hauser & Wirth, JRP Ringier, 2013, p. 7)