takayuki matsuo

a study on natural artifact / 

found object / 

size available /

plastic, iron, aluminum, glass, wood, rubber, etc. /

2008 - /

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In this work, I select, collect, and document things that I feel have potential and mystery from among things that are no longer needed in modern society, or so-called trash. By treating them not as materials for artworks, but as precious objects in museums and archaeological artifacts, I question the value of things to the world.

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found object / 

2m x 2m x 2m /

soil /

2017 /

In archaeology, a number of 2x2x2m hole are dug as a preliminary survey at the site where the excavation is to take place.

If traces of life in the period are found in the holes, full-scale excavation is carried out.

In this work, I dug a perfect 2x2x2m hole by smoothing the surface of the hole and making the angle exactly right.

a study on excavation - floor -

found object / 

4 x 8ft /

photography /

2020 /

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If something is covered, it's the sign that there’s something underneath that someone wants to hide.

In this work, I removed the plywood from the floor and removed the sediments that had stuck to the old floor, as the excavation. 

A full-size photographic record of the floor and the preservation of the removed sediments are the components of this work.

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a study on excavation - clamp -

found object / 

3 x 3 x 8inch /

iron /

2020 /

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A lot of flotsam is deposited on the beach, and many of them are deformed by erosion caused by sunlight, salt, and sand.

In this work, to the unidentified lumps of sand that I found on the beach, I remove the attached sand and excess rust, being careful not to damage the core itself, as excavation.

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a study on investigation - color chart -

found object / 

size available /

paper /

2019 /

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I examined the color of the painted walls of a single region. In New York City, the exterior walls are painted and the paint fades over time. By using the color chart (about 2000 colors of the Benjamin Moore paint) as a reference, I attempted to document the current condition of the walls as accurately as possible.

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a study on cleaning - bicycle frame -

found object / 

5 x 24 x 48inch /

iron /

2019 /

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I found a broken bicycle abandoned in a vacant lot under an elevated highway, and turned the act of "cleaning" it into an artwork. What is considered beautiful or dirty depends on individual subjectivity. In this work, I defined "cleaning" as removing the excess and purifying to the extreme, and the purified bicycle frame was replaced in its original location.

a study on restoration - plate -

found object / 

size available /

porcelain /

2019 /

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I found about 300 pieces of plates that had been discarded on the abandoned railroad tracks. As a result of the restoration, the pieces turned out to be 11 plates, and all pieces were numbered by plate.

One piece that was close to the original form was kept, and displayed them together where they were found.

a study on reproduction - house -

found object / 

size available /

architectural model, photography /

2018 /

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I found about 50 aerial photographs that were taken in different seasons for a certain area. By composing and comparing each photograph, I was able to clarify the location of each element. I also predicted the structure of one of the buildings in the photos and made a 1/100 model of it by referring to the typical American barn.

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a study on reproduction - fence -

found object / 

5 x 5 x 132inch /

wood /

2020 /

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Reproducing the same form and condition leads to a deeper observation of the thing itself.

I discovered an unstable fence that had been accidentally destroyed and crudely repaired. Then I made an exact replica of the fence by tracing its size, distortion, scratches, nails and wires, and replaced it in the exact same location.