Takesada Matsutani: Glue

Hauser & Wirth – Art Gallery
Hauser & Wirth – Art Gallery
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Published 2022-01-28
In a new feature exploring the physical matter of art-making, Ursula magazine invited filmmaker Lisa Rovner into the Paris studio of artist Takesada Matsutani to respond to a single material used by the artist.

Born in Osaka just before the Second World War, Matsutani was a key member of the ‘second generation’ of the influential post war Japanese art collective, the Gutai Art Association. This innovative group was focused on the merging human and materials properties to concretely comprehend abstract space. During this time and in the years since, Matsutani has developed a unique visual language of form and materials.

Inspired by the plastic quality of vinyl glue, the artist began working with this material in 1961—when it first became widely available in Japan—and has gone on to master it, transforming this commonplace substance into something magical that straddles the line between painting and sculpture. By applying the glue to canvas, letting it partially dry to form a skin and then manipulating it with air blown through a straw, hairdryers or fans, Matsutani brings the material to life—a principle central to Gutai. In some works, he leaves swollen convex shapes, while in others allows the glue to rupture and wrinkle, exploring the wide range of possible forms and tactile qualities of the substance. ‘The idea was something three dimensional, on the canvas,’ the artist explains. ‘An organic kind of shape.’

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Takesada Matsutani’s exhibition of new works, ‘Combine’ is on view at Hauser & Wirth New York, 22nd Street, 3 February – 2 April 2022.

Lisa Rovner is a French American filmmaker based in London. Rovner has collaborated with some of the most internationally respected artists and brands including Pierre Huyghe, Liam Gillick, Sebastien Tellier, Maison Martin Margiela and Acne. Her first feature documentary ‘SISTERS WITH TRANSISTORS’ (2020) follows the story of electronic music’s female pioneers, composers who embraced machines and their liberating technologies to transform how we produce and listen to music today.

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Hauser & Wirth is an international contemporary and modern art gallery with spaces in Zurich, London, Somerset, New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Gstaad, St. Moritz, Monaco and Menorca.

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All Comments (21)
  • @mohamelsadig
    That timing of the brass instruments vibrato with Matsutani-san's air blowing... The subtlety of this production is pure perfection.
  • @raerae6422
    I'm glad he is still endlessly fascinated by glue. That he feels forfilled by it. I love these snippets into artists lives. Thanks.
  • @skyqueenstudios
    I like that statement he made at the beginning “Do not copy. Make it new.” Something about that is so satisfying to hear from another artist. Great video, I like the way you guys shot it in bright, white light with the closeups of the ripples in the glue, and the instrumental accompaniment was so perfect. Thank you for being my mental traffic control for five minutes or so, just what I needed.
  • @katiemary
    This video inspires me so much! Both the artist and the video edit fill me with positive e energy.Thank you for sharing.
  • @jimjimgl3
    Thank you for such a concise and short introduction to this artist
  • @TyClark
    so much wisdom and truth. man I love Takesda. beautiful short.
  • @sitabudhyarto2516
    Very inspiring 😍 still lovingly producing his art until old age ..
  • @AvalonDreamz
    I remember as a kid we would get these small little tubes of, I think it was glue, different colors and it would come with a little straw. You would get a round bit of glue out of the little tube, stick the little ball of it on the end of the straw and blow what looked like balloons, that is what this reminded me of doing as a kid! How wonderful! I don't even know if the product was safe for us kids back then, I would say no, because it had a very strong chemical smell to the glue but no one thought to question it like we would today..lol Thank you for this video, that brought back a very amazing childhood memory with my sisters and brother as children doing things like this.
  • @masha_hamburg
    This is so interesting and inspiring for me as an artist! 🌿🦋📷✨Thank you for sharing!🎨🎨🎨🎨🎨
  • @sweetrebeldy
    Nice video composition with music coordination of sakuhachi. All masters, in this video. Thank you.
  • @kevinnapier8996
    #Amazing presentation on this #Artist!!! He has a great #Integrity. NO assistants creating fake reproductions. It's a cost to self, but he avoids that temptation in order to stay true within his artistic and genuine views for both brand loyalty and authentication.