Takesada Matsutani: Glue

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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[@mohamelsadig]

That timing of the brass instruments vibrato with Matsutani-san's air blowing... The subtlety of this production is pure perfection.

[@jabberdraw7441]

ppppppppppppppppppppppppphhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhht!

[@briza2022]

Love iiit tooo🤣

[@francois-louislegland2880]

It s a duduk

[@francois-louislegland2880]

Or a Sax lol

[@banga8934]

@@francois-louislegland2880 who cares

[@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.

[@joolzanzleaux]

Super-Elastic Bubble Plastic!

[@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.

[@jjgrenwich264]

Me too. Been huffing glue since I was a teenager

[@raerae6422]

@@jjgrenwich264 😜

[@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.

[@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.

[@carolgrasby452]

Excellent to see a true master at work. Thank you.

[@JA-qi1fb]

So beautiful, so soothing.

[@masha_hamburg]

This is so interesting and inspiring for me as an artist! 🌿🦋📷✨Thank you for sharing!🎨🎨🎨🎨🎨

[@bellascharfenstein7650]

wonderful. love the comment: the pieces are not him anymore they are themselves.

[@chrisrobinson34]

how could they be 'him' he is a human...what pretentious bullshit

[@mrCetus]

Nice video composition with music coordination of sakuhachi. All masters, in this video. Thank you.

[@TyClark]

so much wisdom and truth. man I love Takesda. beautiful short.

[@frankfolino3118]

Fascinating!

[@sitabudhyarto2516]

Very inspiring 😍 still lovingly producing his art until old age ..

[@sugiartostudio455]

he doing art with heart... awesome ☕️👍

[@jimjimgl3]

Thank you for such a concise and short introduction to this artist

[@Twenty9point97]

So cool! I love this guy!

[@meghanadganpule]

Beautiful work

[@raydedakar418]

Très beau moment, merci.

[@celestevelez007]

So inspiring!, Thank you

[@traceyhilder3426]

Truly inspiring

[@anchoranchor3495]

Brilliant! TY!

[@arteeducacional1662]

Grande Mestre da Arte👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@yoamarteypulsion]

Hermoso video, me.encanto❤

[@awildacruz2990]

Thanks! Very interesting artist.

[@begotxualcedo8908]

Gran artista.🌷😍

[@briza2022]

Love the background sound 💕🤣

[@user-wx2oi1ek2n]

Wonderful work

[@soundingmovingbeing]

Who did the music for this? It’s wonderful and it would be great to credit them!

[@TyClark]

They are in the credits. "Quinn Oulton"

[@lyudmilbo9652]

He is in the credits - Quinn Oulton

[@12barko]

thank you

[@arjunamaximo]

Im from Argentina and always hated myself for working in the floor...now this master appears without back ache and i yearn for advice

[@_creighton]

Use it or lose it is my new motto. As I age, I realize it's crucial to use it each day. Qi Gong will keep you flexible and strong. Also something as simple as my compulsion to pick up trash when I walk the beach or at the park has been a great benefit to my back. Many prostrations, bending in half and touching the earth. And such satisfaction when the return walk is trash free.

[@user-pw7rr2bd6q]

Awesome 💕

[@MiciaMondini]

Splendid

[@kidmorphius4002]

wonderful

[@kasijamilenkovic5641]

Fantastic

[@ky4955]

Amazing

[@paulmactavish3355]

Passion for life *****🎩

[@johndaarteest]

Very Zen-like. 👍

[@pony6]

Legend

[@lostintraslation5962]

Hamparte puro y derecho

[@thomasrestaurator8037]

Eine Meisterschaft. Man kann dieses Spiel auch im Kindergarten sehen, wenn die Kinder archaisch im Sand spielen.

[@clydenorman5316]

You are good for me and my life .

[@mkvierfuenf]

Wise man

[@powerofone1645]

I'd like him to finish off tiling my bathroom...

[@Marie579]

Cleaver.old boy👍

[@june.622]

Beautiful ideology.🎐

[@user-mk8oo5ub8d]

✨

[@randolphfriend8260]

❤

[@mowuz_scl]

this goes to the book of reflexions

[@zzz36999]

❤️❤️❤️

[@WildBabyAndy]

what kind of glue is it?

[@ximoperez2685]

Amparte?

[@claudiamonicabeatrizagusti4691]

Hace lo mismo desde siempre, ¿cuál es su crecimiento como artista creativo? Un Pollock oriental.

[@sssssinnnnn99]

ＢＧMは何方でしょう？教えて頂けませんでしょうか。💛

[@silvansilvan4700]

Yes, "history decides"... But who writes the history?

[@OngoingBox]

w i l d !

[@j.c.3598]

I feel so jseless

[@fifealganaraz7466]

what is acrilic glue ? , please ( i am not living in USA, i have no idea of what he is speaking...)

[@floralheart]

PVA glue

[@YMY555]

I agree with him. It is "Uso=fake" art to hire assistant for making their work.

[@inderjitgabrie835]

👍🤔

[@artscreate7033]

❤👌🌈🙏

[@dustyeyer3710]

Dropping knowledge! Hire assistants to make my paintings? That's fake! I don't think so, not here.

[@rrajdeep02]

Can anyone explain the meaning of last sentence ? "who decides if its good or bad. ? Me, public or history ? He said : history decides" In what context he meant "history decides" ?

[@VoiceofAmhara]

For Picasso his paintings were worth less than a fire wood, that's why most of his paintings end up in the fire. (During his lifetime)

[@floralheart]

@@VoiceofAmhara Best comment my friend

[@bitacoraatrms9175]

ihtis is pocua intpwresant

[@davidhumphrey1558]

Not USO !

[@alec0065]

hamparte

[@fredcoyote9477]

I did this years ago with a different technique. I thought I had done something new. Nope.

[@jimmaeeey2322]

Dat hurts man but maybe some other idea is just waiting for you

[@fredcoyote9477]

@@jimmaeeey2322 Nah, that’s cool. Just pointing out that nothing is new.

[@jimmaeeey2322]

@@fredcoyote9477 yeah nothing is new

[@ReynaSingh]

Originality is overrated. Tell your story, forget the rest

[@sayantanimandal9]

That is originality

[@thegetztv4578]

GHI HUASER WRITH S

[@syedayanather713]

Literal NPCs in comments

[@ethereal.lau7]

😂😂😂😂 5 year old kid can make that

[@cliffdariff74]

The guy needs to invest in a table,,,,, just saying.

[@tristanarcelona]

Old

[@HAL-99000]

Jajajjajajaja key and peele can do better, nice try

[@standauphin1592]

the music got annoying after 2 minutes

[@alexrogan3845]

So this what passes for art these days?......Sigh

[@kevetoth5089]

Honestly, i respect this artist so much. Sure, the works he is creating might not be too much different than those you see at a typical modern art museum (i. e. Weird, ugly paintings only depending on some twisted shock-value) but its clear that he does it only for himself, because he enjoys it. He works with strong conviction and does not care about money, unlike the many mass-produced 'artists' that art universities pump out like crazy.

[@ams9449]

"I still do it by hand, many artists hire assistants to make same paintings"...what does he know about REAL painting? He's a joke.

[@helsinki]

Lo..some internet nobody talking shit about a celebrated artist. Stay salty dude.

[@jabberdraw7441]

Not even worth watching at twice speed, skipping the intro, and resolving within yourself an -"I can learn SOMETHING from this attitude" The cringe on wind instrument effects as he blows bubbles is epically scoff worthy mirth tho.

[@user-gi8xo3nw2u]

As degenerate as most modern art. I hate this piece of foolishness.

[@gwnbld9479]

Wtf is that? Modern art?

[@statusforyou2590]

True master my ass 😂😂😂😂😂saw his art in insta in which he nothing just doing a colour in cloth with his hands and earn million by that 😂😂😂😂😂

[@sweetrebeldy]

Nice video composition with music coordination of sakuhachi. All masters, in this video. Thank you.