#Japan #Tokyo #Art Exhibition #The Chain Museum #Saki Matsumura

Solo Exhibition: 'Trace - Touching the Ground' by Saki Matsumura

Starting on June 4, 2025, the celebrated artist Saki Matsumura will showcase her solo exhibition titled 'Trace - Touching the Ground' at the trendy Gallery & Restaurant Butaiura, located within the Azabu-Dai Hills. The event is organized by The Chain Museum, an innovative art organization based in Shibuya, Tokyo.

Born in 1993 in Nozawaonsen, Nagano, Matsumura graduated from the Kyoto University of Arts in 2015 and completed her Master's degree in 2017. Her artistic journey has been remarkable, with multiple awards and selections in art fairs both domestically and internationally, including Taiwan and the Philippines.

Matsumura's works are recognizable by their bold composition and texture. Observing her art closely reveals swirling white lines that mimic movement on the surface, resembling both digital images and a textured landscape. The animated lines evoke memories of her skiing experiences in her hometown, where the trails of snow carve through the mountains. Conversely, the portions reminiscent of enlarged satellite images of celestial bodies juxtapose distant cosmic views with the warm, evocative memories of her past. Through her art, viewers are invited to confront the layered complexities of time and space as experienced through human memory.

In addition to her captivating paintings, the exhibition will also present her recent series, 'moon phases.' This series creatively combines her long-standing exploration of planetary images with ceramic pieces that reflect the moon's surface, embedded with recollections of snow-laden landscapes. Each square work in this collection possesses a duality, where colors shift as the viewer's perspective changes, reminiscent of the moon's waxing and waning phases.

Matsumura’s artistic expressions playfully engage with the idea of memory and its physical traces, encouraging viewers to immerse themselves in her unique world of interconnected narratives.

Exhibition Statement

This exhibition presents paintings and ceramic pieces inspired by memories of Matsumura’s hometown and physical sensations from her past. Reflecting on how her hometown has transformed due to increasing popularity as a travel destination, she has become increasingly aware of the intimate relationship her works have with her original landscape.

Raised in the mountainous area that combines a ski resort and a traditional hot spring town, Matsumura's early experiences anchor the creation of her art. The memories of gliding down snowy slopes inform the movement of her brush across the canvas, which is characterized by energetic white lines and thickly layered textures. The angled compositions mirror the images of lodges lined up on the sloped hills, evoking the sense of balancing one's posture on a slope. Vivid recollections of fire festivals emerge as powerful colors within her works.

These traces of her hometown remain in her mind as landscape and physical memory, continually evolving through her introspective process of creation.

'As time goes on, the term 'Trace' means to follow touched memories and reconnect with what has passed. Each artwork serves as a pathway, where Matsumura recollects and reimagines her internalized memories onto the canvas.'

About the Artist

Saki Matsumura is an artist based in Kyoto, creating dynamic works through a variety of techniques, including spray work, silk-screen printing, and thick painting. Her bold, textured pieces invite viewers into a uniquely imaginative landscape, where the experience of skiing intertwines with various colors and forms.

Born in Nozawaonsen, Nagano, she graduated from the Kyoto University of Arts in 2015, receiving honors for her graduation exhibition. In 2017, she completed her Master’s degree and was selected for the Art Award Tokyo Marunouchi the same year. She received accolades at 'UNKNOWN ASIA 2019' and has her artworks collected by notable entities such as Universal Music Japan and leading corporations across various industries. Matsumura continues to expand her artistic reach, participating in both individual and group exhibitions and art fairs.

Exhibition Information

Exhibition Title: Saki Matsumura Solo Exhibition 'Trace - Touching the Ground'
Dates: June 4, 2025 (Wed) – June 29, 2025 (Sun)
Venue: Gallery & Restaurant Butaiura, 105-0001 Tokyo, Minato-ku, Toranomon 5-8-1, Azabu-Dai Hills Garden Plaza A B1F
Admission: Free
Opening Hours:

• - Gallery: Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
• - Restaurant:

- Tuesday to Friday: 1:00 PM - 10:00 PM (Last Order 9:00 PM)
- Saturday: 1:00 PM - 9:00 PM (Last Order 8:00 PM)
- Sunday: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (Cafe Service)
Access: Directly connected to Kamiyacho Metro Station, Exit 5, a minute's walk away.

Additional Notes

The exhibition includes a special collaborative dinner experience called 'The Atelier Table with Saki Matsumura,' where guests can enjoy a unique dinner inspired by her artwork. Reservations are required.

Explore the fusion of art, memory, and the intimate connection between our physical and emotional landscapes through Matsumura's stunning works at this remarkable exhibition.