Matsuzawa Yutaka Begin with Vanishment 2014
Installation view at MISA SHIN GALLERY
Photo: Keizo Kioku
Matsuzawa Yutaka Begin with Vanishment 2014
Installation view at MISA SHIN GALLERY
Photo: Keizo Kioku
Matsuzawa Yutaka 松澤 宥
Begin with Vanishment 消滅より始めよ
Date:Thursday, April 24 – Saturday, June 14, 2014
PRESS RELEASE
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＜日本語は英語の後に続きます＞
Born in Shimosuwa, Nagano prefecture in 1922, Matsuzawa is the creator of conceptual art in Japan, and is also globally known as a world pioneer in the same field.
Matsuzawa began his career as early as the 1940s creating poems, paintings and three-dimensional work. At midnight on June 1st, 1964, he is visited with a revelation to “get rid of objects.” After three days of deliberating whether he should create art that rejects relying on objects, on June 4th, Matsuzawa decides to follow his epiphany to create art that is based purely on letters and actions. Since then he has consistently created word-based work, emphasizing the rejection of objects, the extinction of humans and anti-civilization.
The late 60s was also a time period when there was a global trend towards creating art that incorporated literature and various philosophies. Paintings and sculptures were rejected, and replaced by the appearance of conceptual art. Matsuzawa’s work was viewed in line with this trend, yet distinguished himself from the mainstream Western approach towards conceptual art, coining his own work as “Kannen Bijutsu (translation:Notion Art).” By relying only on texts and performances as a means of expression, his extreme minimalistic approach embodies a seductiveness and morbid approach towards disappearance. This is expressed and developed in many ways by incorporating concepts such as catastrophe theory, the Philosophies of Mandala of the Two Realms, quantum mechanics, physics and math, and his original vision towards religion and the cosmic universe.
At this exhibition, MISA SHIN GALLERY will present highlights from Matsuzawa’s career spanning over half a century, including drawings, collages created in the late 50s, and his word-based works created post-1964 from “Yutaka Matsuzawa ψBox” 1983 such as “ψDead Body, ψRemains”, “A Picture Caught in a Postcard”, “A Swan Song” and “The Nine Meditations Chamber”. 50 years has passed since Matsuzawa was met by revelation to “get rid of objects”, we would like to begin with vanishment to explore the relationship between Art and Concepts.
Matsuzawa Yutaka
Born in Shimosuwa-machi, Shimosuwa-county, Nagano prefecture, February 2nd, 1922. BA from Waseda University in Architecture from the Department of Technology, 1946. Following his graduation, Matsuzawa returned to his hometown in Shimosuwa, and published a collection of poems called “Immortality of the Earth.” In 1952, he had his first solo exhibition at the Bijutsu Bunka Art Association’s 12th exhibition. In 1955, Matsuzawa studied abroad in the US on a Fulbright scholarship. His presented his next exhibition titled “Spiritualism series” at the Yomiuri Independent Exhibition, in 1958, and annually was invited to present at the same venue until 1963. At midnight on June 1st, 1964, he is met by revelation to “get rid of objects”, and begins creating work as a conceptual artist. Matsuzawa became internationally recognized, after his work is featured in numerous overseas venues such as the Venice Biennale, 1976, and the San Paulo Biennale, 1977. In the 2000s, he has participated in exhibitions held at various venues including the Saito Memorial Kawaguchi Museum of Contemporary Art, the National museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, and the Toyota Municipal Museum of Art. Matsuzawa ended his prolific journey at age 84 in his hometown of Shimosuwa. Nagano prefecture, on October 15th, 2006.
松澤宥は1922年長野県下諏訪生まれ、日本における観念美術の創始者であり、コンセプチュアル・アートの世界的な先駆者として知られるアーティストです。
1940年代から詩、絵画、立体作品を制作していた松澤は、64年6月1日深夜、「オブジェを消せ」という啓示を受けます。ものに頼らない美術作品を作るべきかと3日間苦悶し、6月4日、啓示通りものを排除し、文字や行為のみの作品を制作しようと決意します。以降、一貫して物質と人類の消滅や反文明という主張を掲げた言葉による作品を制作することになります。
世界的な傾向として、60年代後半は、絵画や彫刻など視覚的な表現ではなく、文字や思考的方法を取り入れアートの概念を再考するコンセプチュアル・アートが登場した時期でもありました。松澤の仕事は、そのような流れに位置付けられながらもその思想や方法は欧米の定義であるコンセプチュアル・アートとは一線を画し、松澤は自らの作品を「観念美術」と呼びました。文字のみの作品やパフォーマンスによる表現は、カタストロフィー（終末）理論、両界曼荼羅の思想、量子芸術として物理学や数学が開示する世界と通底しつつも、独自の宗教観や宇宙観に基づく展開を示し、極限までにそぎ落とされた表現形態は消滅へと向かうなまめかしさに満ちています。
本展では、松澤の半世紀以上に渡るキャリアの中から、50年代後半のドローイング、コラージュ作品と、64年以降の言語による作品を「松澤宥Ψの函」（1983年）から、「プサイの死体遺体」、「はがきに挿まった絵」、「白鳥の歌」、「九想の室」などを展示いたします。松澤が「オブジェを消せ」という啓示を受けて50年、松澤の美術と観念の問答をその「消滅」から始めたいと思います。
松澤 宥
1922年2月2日長野県諏訪郡下諏訪町生まれ。1946年、早稲田大学理工学部建築科卒業。ほどなく下諏訪に戻り、49年詩集「地上の不滅」刊行。52年、美術文化協会１２回展に初出展。55年、フルブライト留学生として米国に学ぶ。58年、第10回読売アンデパンダン展に出展「唯心論シリーズ」を出展。以降、63年まで毎年出展。64年6月1日深夜、「オブジェを消せ」という啓示を受け、概念芸術家としての活動を始める。76年、ベニス・ビエンナーレ、77年サンパウロ・ビエンナーレをはじめ海外での発表を多数行い、欧米にもその名を知られる。00年以降、斉藤記念川口現代美術館、東京国立近代美術館、豊田美術館など国内での展覧会にも参加。06年10月15日、郷里の長野県下諏訪で84歳の生涯を閉じる。