Japanese artist presents decade-long photo series in Tartu

Japanese artist Narihiro Matsumoto will open his solo exhibition “40-42” at Miga art space in Tartu on Wednesday, ERR reports. The exhibition features his latest photographic series, which concludes a 10-year creative journey and will be shown to the public in Estonia for the first time.

Matsumoto said the series marks the end of an important chapter in his work.

“A point stretches into a line, and standing on that line, there is a space filled with silence. Nearby, there is something rough and violent. Moving through orange and magenta, the series reaches blue. I am very pleased to present the final part of this series, which I began 10 years ago,” he said.

Matsumoto became known to Estonian audiences through his 2023 solo exhibition “35-39” at Haki gallery. This was followed by a two-month residency at Voronja gallery on the shore of Lake Peipsi.

His experience there became one of the hidden starting points for the new series. Walking across the frozen lake and seeing the white landscape stretching in every direction made an unforgettable impression on him.

“Although I had never seen such a landscape before, it somehow felt familiar,” Matsumoto said.

He hopes viewers will also sense the influence of Lake Peipsi in the new photographs, although it appears through emotion rather than direct motifs.

All of Matsumoto’s works are created in real spaces using real objects and actual weather and lighting conditions. He said the most important thing for him is not whether viewers believe what they see.

“It is important to me that I have seen the objects and landscapes shown in the image with my own eyes. In an age when photographs can easily be manipulated, people often have doubts. For me, it is not important whether they believe it or not. The act of creating the work itself is a gift,” he said.

Matsumoto said art does not always need to offer explanations to viewers. He would be pleased if people looked at his works as they might look at the sea or a lake, or sat quietly on a park bench without feeling the need to think too much.

The exhibition “40-42” will be open at Miga gallery until October 25.