takayuki matsuo
about
statement
"Are the things or behavior we judge as useless or meaningless and eliminated, really worthless?”
Through my work, I focus on objects that have been considered useless or meaningless to modern society and question the value of things in the world. Among those useless things, I'm especially interested in artifacts that have been deformed due to aging, external factors, and I re-frame them as "The natural artifacts".
I do not treat "Natural artifacts" as materials for artwork, but rather as the main subject. When I add some touch to them, I try as much as possible not to add my own intentional modeling and my ego to them.
In concrete methods, the act of excavation, investigation, restoration, conservation, and reproduction are replaced with the act of artistic-creation, by referring mainly to the processes and methods used in archaeology.
In recent years, by employing archaeological methods to things that are considered useless to modern society, I have been reinterpreting "Modernology"*1 as art.
*1 "Modernology" was proposed by folklorist Wajiro Kon and brought into the field of art by Genpei Akasegawa and others. However, in many cases, sociological statistical research was the main method used to create works of art, and archaeological methods were not used.
(e.g., Hyperart Thomasson).
biography
Takayuki Matsuo (b. 1980, New York, United States) is a contemporary artist based in New York.
He takes his inspiration from collecting found objects mainly from the street. His practice is shaped by the concept of “the usefullness of the uselessness” borrowed from ancient Chinese philosophy. Matsuo thinks of the value of things through "natural artifacts" that are being naturalized by losing their original function due to aging and external factors. His goal is to maximize their potential and eliminate ego and subjective action in the creative process as much as possible. His artistic approach is influenced by various sources including Wajiro Kon (” Modernology” ) through to Genpei Akasegawa (Hyperart Thomasson) and Japanese contemporary art.
Education
2003 Studied, Waseda University Art and Architecture School, Tokyo
2000 Graduated, Musashino Cooking College, Tokyo
He is a self-taught conceptual artist.
He belongs to Art Beasties that is Artist collective group.
Exhibitions
2023 Selected group exhibition, ,Kobo Chika Gallery, Tokyo
2023 Selected group exhibition,WHAT CAFE × WHYNOT.TOKYO, Tokyo
2023 Selected group exhibition, Soko-Mono-Koto, MA2 Gallery, Tokyo
2023 Selected group exhibition, Town Background, Former Soga Textile Factory, Gunma
2022 Solo exhibition, Modernology Excavation - Twisted House -, Sumida Expo, Tokyo
2022 Group exhibition, 9x10x17. 5 32:12: 59 , mh Project nyc、New York
2021 Solo exhibition, Modernology - Natural Artifact -, Anaba Project, Washington DC
2020 Solo exhibition, Modernology - Restoration -, The Ace Hotel Gallery, New York
2019 Selected group exhibition, Modest Expressionism #1 Water / Wood / Cloth, New York
2019 Solo exhibition, Project Ephemeral #4 preservation, Residency Unlimited, New York
2019 Solo exhibition, Project Ephemeral #3 restoration, Residency Unlimited, New York
2019 Solo exhibition, Project Ephemeral #2 cleaning, Residency Unlimited, New York
2019 Solo exhibition, Project Ephemeral #1 investigation, Residency Unlimited, New York
2018 Selected group exhibition,"Time Difference", Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo
2016 Selected group exhibition,"Monster Exhibition 2016", Shibuya Hikarie, Tokyo
2016 Selected group exhibition, "Time Difference", Hyōgo Prefectural Museum of Art, Hyōgo 2015 Solo exhibition, "Greed", Makari, New York
2014 Selected group exhibition, "DAMBO Art Festival 2014", DAMBO, New York
Residencies
2021 Anaba Project, Washington DC
2019 Residency Unlimited, New York
Talk
2018 "How to live in NY as artist", "Monster Exhibition 2O18", Shibuya Hikarie, Tokyo
Bibliography
2018 "Time Difference vol.3" (catalog) Art Beasties, {Photographs, Interview, C.V}
2016 "Time Difference vol.2" (catalog) Art Beasties, {Photographs, Interview, C.V}