Shigeki Matsuyama
Dazzling camouflage today’s saturated world
“I take a pictorial approach to the changes brought about in the lives of modern people through the spread of smartphones and the Internet – and their effects on our consciousness.”
The word ‘dazzle’ appears in many of Shigeki Matsuyama’s titles. And his work is just that, dazzling. Bold black and white stripes camouflage artworks in a range of mediums. Whether it’s a painted portrait or an immersive installation, there’s always stripes. Inspiration comes from everyday experiences. “When I'm creating, I often take inspiration from the things around me – things like a sense of unease and distrust towards media like the Internet and TV.” In particular, Matsuyama is interested in how today’s media distorts self-image. “The theme that runs throughout my works is that of ‘mode...
The word ‘dazzle’ appears in many of Shigeki Matsuyama’s titles. And his work is just that, dazzling. Bold black and white stripes camouflage artworks in a range of mediums. Whether it’s a painted portrait or an immersive installation, there’s always stripes. Inspiration comes from everyday experiences. “When I'm creating, I often take inspiration from the things around me – things like a sense of unease and distrust towards media like the Internet and TV.” In particular, Matsuyama is interested in how today’s media distorts self-image. “The theme that runs throughout my works is that of ‘modern people’", he says.
Matsuyama nods to history in his use of camouflage. The installation Narcissism: Dazzle Room (2016) refers to a type of ship camouflage used in World War I. The striking pattern applied to ships with “dazzle camouflage” made it tricky to decipher if a target was close or far away. Camouflage also comes from oversaturation on the Internet. The ongoing series Portrait of a Dazzle uses selfies he has found online. He is interested in how self-image is constructed amongst thousands of others. Sheigeki’s stripes make the everyday world into another realm.
Shigeki Matsuyama (he/him) was born in 1973 in Japan. He currently lives and works in Kanagawa, Japan.
Between 1998 and 2011, Matsuyama worked as an illustrator in advertising. Following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, he was inspired to create more conceptual work and moved away from illustration.
Matsuyama has collaborated with several brands and designers. In 2021, he was commissioned by Vans to design the Vans Store Harajuku store. He made the walls and spiral staircase his signatures striped black and white.
