Shigeki Matsuyama

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.