"Takesada MATSUTANI" Exhibition Information

The grand finale exhibition of AKI Gallery in 2024 is coming soon, featuring Takesada MATSUTANI, one of the most prominent figure of the renowned post-war Japanese avant-garde art group "Gutai." The exhibition will showcase masterpieces by the legendary artist from 1982 to 2000, offering a glimpse into his creative evolution. MATSUTANI, regarded as an leading character in contemporary art history, has been devoted to his artistic creation spanning half a century.

Founded in 1954, "Gutai" rose to international prominence under the powerful leadership of its founder, Jiro YOSHIHARA. As a second-generation core member, MATSUTANI inherited Gutai's free-spirited philosophy of "creating unprecedented innovations." His diverse creative forms revolve around a powerful central axis, continuously evolving, transforming his life and art into an even more extreme existence.

A New Vision of "Black"

In the early stages of his creative journey, MATSUTANI primarily used post-war industrial materials, particularly "vinyl glue" as his artistic language. He would pour vinyl glue onto a canvas, flip it upside down, and let it dry naturally, forming unique, swollen spheres and creating ruptures on the canvas that resembled organs. Starting in the 1980s, MATSUTANI continued to work with vinyl glue, a signature medium from his GUTAI art period. He carefully controlled its flow while subtly added repeated, continuous brushstrokes using "black graphite," along with techniques like fans and breath-blowing, to create protrusions, wrinkles, and cracks on the surface. The artist's organic use of raw materials reached its peak, continually breaking through the limitations of spatial concepts and exploring the extreme possibilities of painting space, thus opening up new imaginative possibilities between the flat and the three-dimensional.

From the East to the West, MATSUTANI's creative journey transcends cultural and geographical distances, embodying an endless exploration of life. From December 21, 2024, to January 25, 2025, visit AKI Gallery and experience the profound and powerful artistic impact of Gutai.

"Takesada MATSUTANI" Exhibition Details

• Date: December 21, 2024 - January 25, 2025
• Venue: Aki Gallery
• Address: 141, Min Tsu W. Road, Datong District, Taipei 10369

Information Source: Provided by Aki Gallery