Takeshi Matsugami Every day is a good day - 日々是好日
Every day is a good day
日々是好日
Every Day is a Good Day is Takeshi Matsugami’s (1980, Nagoya, Japan) second solo show at Schönfeld Gallery, which now permanently represents the Japanese artist in Europe because every day is a good day for enjoying art.
The exhibition features a selection of new, recent, and older paintings, mostly in small formats. Matsugami blends pop art and neo-expressionism, drawing inspiration from everyday objects, bright colours, energetic brushstrokes, and, more recently, landscapes. His work represents a visual language synthesising contemporary Western and Eastern elements.
“Every day is a good day is a Zen saying,” the artist explains. “Viewing each day as a positive experience is essential. While the unfolding events are real and unchangeable, our perception of them is within our control. Depending on how I look at things, everyday objects and landscapes can seem very interesting or beautiful, making me want to paint them. I usually take pictures of something that catches my attention and then select some of them as subjects for my paintings. The objects and landscapes in my direct environment influence me most in daily life, such as Instagram and anime (Japanese cartoons). Still, it might as well be conversations with family.”
Takeshi Matsugami lives and works in Kawasaki, a coastal city between Tokyo and Yokohama. What might he be painting in his studio today? A landscape, a house, a tree, two slices of pizza, gyozas on a plate seen from above, a pair of Calvin Klein underwear he wears in front of the mirror, three muscat grapes, a cartoonesque coffee mug reminiscent of Philip Guston’s work, a green frog, a toy, and so on: anything he sees could qualify. When it comes to small paintings, the choice of subject is often determined by his mood.
How he paints is equally essential. Objects are always depicted in isolation and a rudimentary perspective, detached from any context against a more or less monochromatic background in a bright or subdued colour. The oil paint is applied thickly on the canvas and then glued onto plywood; it is tactile and direct. With bold brushstrokes and some contour lines, the form is simplified to its essence, just enough to be recognisable. At the same time, an alienating effect can arise. The shape of the Cheesecake reminds one of a piece of cake or cheese, but without a title, it’s unclear what the painting represents. Other paintings equally defy the boundaries of recognisability.
His painting continues to evolve. With his solo show in mind, he began painting landscapes, something he rarely or never did before. The possibilities of landscape painting are being fully explored. The only large painting in this exhibition is a scene on the small coastal island of Enoshima with people descending a staircase to buildings by the water. Other landscapes are more universal and do not reveal a specific location. They range from a view through a house in nature to a loosely brushed green landscape with two palm trees in the distance under a radiant blue sky.
Does Matsugami lean more towards the Eastern or the Western tradition? “They both interest and influence me,” the artist nuances. “I first became interested in art through pop art in high school. I was obsessed with artists like David Hockney, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, and Basquiat.” Takeshi Matsugami graduated as an illustrator and graphic designer but, from the start, developed his practice, including drawings, collages, and paintings. In 2009, he switched from acrylic paint to oil paint, and around 2017, he arrived at the visual language with which he is now making strides.
Can the artist’s mood be discerned from his work? Does the work say something about the human condition, society, or the state of the world? Every Day is a Good Day is always relevant. Because how you perceive what surrounds you is up to you.
Christine Vuegen
- Location
- Brussels
- Date
- —
- Opening reception:
- Sunday, June 29, 14:00 — 18:00
Selected Images
Selected Images
“Viewing each day as a positive experience is essential. While the events that unfold are real and unchangeable, our perception of them is within our control.”
Takeshi Matsugami Cheesecake, 2022
Inquire43 x 40 cm
Framed
Takeshi Matsugami Muscat, 2019
Inquire29 x 31 cm
Framed
Takeshi Matsugami Cheesecake, 2022
Inquire43 x 40 cm
Framed
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