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"Hazama - Road of Memory" by Ataro Matsuo, 2015, Collage of Burned Papery and Dictionary and Gouche on Panel, 50.2 x 50.2 x 1.8 cm, ¥120,000.JPG

Hazama by Ataro Matsuo

December 6 - January 10, 2025

An online exhibition showcasing a collection of works from the Hazama series by Ataro Matsuo, available from December 6 to January 10, 2025.

This exhibition invites audiences to engage with the artist's deep investigation into the boundaries of dimensions and the hidden layers of perception. Matsuo, who meandered from Nagasaki to Kyoto and now resides and works in Saga, studied sculpture at the Kyoto University of Art and Design. There, he cultivated a distinctive vision that blurs the line between two-dimensional and three-dimensional forms, shaped by a decade of collaboration with master printmaker Shoichi Ida, who is considered as one of the most significant figures in the "Golden Age of Contemporary Prints," a period of significant development in Japanese printmaking during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Through Ida’s influence, he embraced printmaking, but with a transformative lens, treating paper as a multidimensional medium imbued with historical weight, cultural significance, and a potential to evoke profound spatial depth.

At the heart of his practice is a process of layering paper over surfaces of text, including fragments from his treasured newspapers and magazines. These, however, are not meant to convey information but to act as silent witnesses, presenting words and images that peer through the layered compositions. Without a fixed narrative, his works invite viewers to explore, drawing meaning from these fragments and finding their own questions reflected back. This approach to language as open-ended allows each viewer a personal dialogue, sparking an introspective journey as they encounter the works

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In his acclaimed “Hazama” series, the artist brings burnt washi paper into his compositions, allowing its fragility and transparency to enhance the experience of impermanence. Originating in China and evolving uniquely within Japanese culture, washi is itself a carrier of time and history, embodying a material heritage that connects the past and present. The artist’s inspiration for burning paper arose from an intimate moment of personal transformation, where a decision to discard an old magazine became a pivotal creative act. The resulting charred, overlapping images opened his practice to the potential of printmaking as a vehicle for capturing the beauty of transience and the accidental.

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The concept of Hazama, signifying "gap" or "interval," is central to the artist’s vision. Historically, Hazama refers to the narrow openings in castle walls—spaces that offer protection while allowing glimpses of the outside world. He uses this as a metaphor for the thresholds that define our lives: the spaces between light and shadow, life and death, and the visible and invisible. For the artist, these intervals embody transformative energy, serving as a quiet yet powerful space where viewers are encouraged to look beyond mere surface and form.

Drawing from his expertise in copperplate, lithography, and woodblock printing, he has crafted a technique that incorporates burnt paper into singular compositions, each distinguished by its unique charring patterns. This transition to monotype prints emphasizes the delicate, transient nature of each piece, showcasing lines and textures that encapsulate the essence of boundaries. Through meticulous layering, the artist unveils an expressive depth that reflects the invisible edges that shape our existence, crafting an experience where the lines between presence and absence are perpetually redefined.

"Hazama - Time"

Medium: Collage of Burned Paper and Dyed Paper on Panel

Dimnesion & Year: 65 x 90.7 x 2 cm, 2022

At the heart of this showcase lies the incredible power of lines – the seemingly simple strokes on panelor sculptural forms that possess a remarkable ability to convey motion and vitality. These lines defy the confines of two-dimensional space, inviting viewers to step into a world of dynamic artistic expression.

"Hazama - Front and Back Squares"

Medium: Collage of Burned Paper, Japanese Paper and Gouche on Panel

Dimension & Year: 91 x 72 x 3 cm & 2017

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In his own words, Matsuo shares his profound insight: "The world constructed by humans is but a tiny sphere, and the true essence of existence lies within the eons of time and the spaces where human footprints cannot tread.”

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