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Exhibition: “流転-RUTEN-” by Yasuka Matsumoto
April 17日, 2015 - April 20日, 2015
CRS is honored to present a brief exhibition of works by Yasuka Matsumoto of Japan from April 17 – 20, 2015. The works that Ms. Matsumoto will be sharing all reference the Japanese traditional method of making iron and steel, called Tatara, using charcoal created from the burning of wood.
A story of small iron
Trees in the forest are transformed into iron and steel by human’s hand. That process can be said to concentrate a large forest into small metallic objects. These objects carry the memory of having existed as trees in the forest. When a metal object closes its eyes, it see images and remembers the memory of this past it carries within. The object misses living in the forest and eventually returns there as it rusts and is scattered and carried back to the soil and is finally re-absorbed by the trees and other vegetation.
Profile of Yasuka Matsumoto
I studied sculpture at Tama Art University and experienced using various materials. I was fascinated by the beauty of the original state of each material. Since every material is perfect as it is, I always wanted to use materials in their original condition. Since then, when I create my artwork, I always cherish the original condition of materials and try to be guided by the ways that they are already being transformed by nature and traditional human-directed processes. It is my hope that you will be able to enjoy the objects that I exhibit as both raw materials, interesting for their own inherent natural properties, and as works carefully shaped by an artist to draw attention to certain processes and ideas, to provoke various questions and to enrich the experience of sharing space and time with the object and its journey.
Yasuka Matsumoto graduated from Tama Art University in 2009. This is her first exhibition in New York. She has participated in the following group exhibitions in Japan:
2011 Art Festival at Tama Art University
2010 Art Festival at Tama Art University
2010 Wooden Sculpture Class Exhibition at Tama Art University
2009 Tama Art University Sculpture Exhibition
2007 Graduation Show at Hachioji High School Art Course Specialization