Year: 2023
Medium: vinyl adhesive, acrylic, sumi, graphite pencil, Japanese paper, cotton, plywood board
Dimensions: 50 x 20.3 x 2 cm (19 5/8 x 8 x 3/4 in.)
Acquired from TARO NASU, 2024
A white circle above, a black and purple circle below, with one streak of black ink flowing downwards, as if connecting these two slightly separated forms. The white circle is cut from washi paper, and the black sumi softly bleeds through the paper. The purple circle is formed using vinyl adhesive (bond), a signature material characteristic of Matsutani’s practice. The adhesive is poured onto the canvas, and using a straw, the air is blown under the film of the glue’s surface. The lustrous skin of the adhesive, which swells like a burn blister, is reminiscent of sensuous flesh. And it is the reason why his works are described as evoking a certain eroticism. In this piece, one can imagine how the inflated film of skin, which has been given life by Matsutani’s breath, will one day wither and softly droop under the force of gravity. The organic line of the single streak of ink emphasizes that effect of gravity.
