Akinori Matsumoto

I began creating “sound objects” thirty years ago, and have so far originated 300 kinds of objects. In my installations, I use those objects to compose the venue so that sounds and visual art (at times, performing arts) create a perfect harmony. I am a self-taught artist who has studied different fields of artistic expressions. During the time I traveled around Asian countries, I was most influenced by ethnic folk arts. I stayed in many villages and joined in their traditional festivals, which seamlessly blended visual art, music and performing arts. My present works have been shaped through those experiences. My installation is an experience-based, artistic form of entertainment that merges different genres.

(Main materials: Bamboo, paper, small battery-operated motors, wind and water power.)

 

AKINORI MATSUMOTO BIOGRAPHY

1951    Born in Saitama, Japan

1982    Began creating sound objects. Also began his project “Yu-Gaku-Gi” in which he devised sound    

objects in common places and created enchanting atmosphere, designed to make viewers feel as if

they have fallen into an air pocket.

1989    Organized a trio, Monju-no-Chienetsu, with musician Tojima Toji and dance artist Seisaku Murata.

The trio holds unique performances that freely crossover the fields of visual art, music and dance.

1993-94  Received grant from the Goto Memorial Cultural Foundation to pursue his artistic studies in eight Asian countries.

2010-    Part-time lecturer, Joshibi University of Art and Design, Tokyo  Presently lives and works in Yokohama, Japan

 

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2016  Akinori MatsumotoExhibition, Gallery Yugen, Tokyo

2015  Forms of Sounds, Shibuya Cultural Center Owada, Tokyo

2015  Sound Sculptures, Flinn Gallery, Greenwich Library, Ct, USA

2015  Sound Scenes Hakone, Main Gallery, Hakone Open-Air Museum, Kanagawa

2014  Bamboo Phonon Garden, Yokohama City Hall, Kanagawa

2014 Sound Scenes Akita, ATORION, Akita Integrated Life Cultural Hall-Museum, Akita

2013  Wind Performance, Striped House Buildings, 2 floors, Tokyo

2013  Water Theater, Striped House Gallery, Tokyo

2012  Daikanyama Sound Scenes, Art Front Gallery, Tokyo

2012  Sounds of Forest, Act Gallery, Act City Hamamatsu, Hamamatsu Cultural Foundation, Shizuoka

2011  Roppongi Sound Scenes, Striped House Gallery, Tokyo

2010  Sound Scenes, Musical Instruments Museum, Brussels, Belgium

2009  Sendai Art Walk: Sound Scenes-Sendai Version, Miyagi Museum of Art, Sendai, Miyagi

2009  Music Performed with a Cup of Water, Striped House Gallery, Roppongi, Tokyo

2009  Body Temperature Performance, Striped House Gallery, Roppongi, Tokyo

2008  Hummingbird, a piece of space APS, Ginza, Tokyo

2007  Tsumari Ryokuin Library, NO BUTAI Gallery, Echigo-Tsumari Art Field, Niigata

2006  Bamboo Bank, 1929 Hall, BankART, Yokohama, Kanagawa

2006  Instrumental Bamboo II, a piece of space APS, Ginza, Tokyo

2006  A View of the Sound, Jindai Shokubutsu Botanical Park, Tokyo

2005  Nature Wonderland, Aichi Children’s Nation, Aichi

2005  Manpukuji Temple Bamboo Art Exhibition, Manpukuji Temple, Kawasaki, Kanagawa

2004  Bamboo Wind, Children’s Museum, Funabashi, Chiba

2004  Instrumental Bamboo, a piece of space APS, Ginza, Tokyo

2003  Hall of Music, Aka-Renga Kan, Ehime

2002  Bamboo Soundscape Exhibition, KSP Gallery, Kawasaki, Kanagawa

2001  Bamboo Symphony II, Embassy of Japan, Bangladesh

2001  Bamboo, Wind, Sound, and Light, KANKAKU MUSEUM, Miyagi

2001  Bamboo Orchestra III, The Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, UK

2001  SUNARI Project in BALI, Rice field in Bali, Indonesia

2001  Sound Scenes, Le Fonte, Utsunomiya, Tochigi

2000  Bamboo Music Box, Asago Art Village, Hyogo

1999  Festival of the Bamboo Tribe, Zexel Art Space Zoom, Shibuya, Tokyo

1998  Spinning Jungle, Hamada Children’s Museum of Art, Shimane

1998  Wonder Zone Expedition, Benesse Communication Gallery, Tokyo

1998  Together With Sounds, Event Space Zefa, Solaria Plaza, Hakata, Fukuoka

1996  Everyone is a Musician, FM Fukuoka, GAYA, Fukuoka

1995  A View of the Sound, Plus Minus Gallery, Ginza, Tokyo

1995  Sound of Asia, Striped House Museum of Art, Roppongi, Tokyo

1994  Music Streaming on a River, Sakaigawa Shinsui Park, Edogawa, Tokyo

1992  Room for Meditation, Xebec Hall, Kobe, Hyogo

1991  Rain Concert, Hara Museum of Art, In the garden, Shinagawa, Tokyo

1991  Scenery of Mind’s Memory, Sumida Riverside Hall Gallery, Tokyo

1991  Wind Theater, Art Space Niji, Kyoto

1989  Arrange Sounds Under the Cherry Blossoms, Kongoji Temple, Tokyo

1988  Sound Orienteering, Todoroki Gorge, Setagaya, Tokyo

1987  Excavated Orchestra, Yokohama SOGO, Kanagawa

1986  Automation Theater, Maki Gallery, Kanda, Tokyo

1985  Sound Objects Exhibition, Seibu Atelier Nouveau, Ikebukuro, Tokyo

1984  Found Objects Concert Exhibition, Komai Gallery, Nihonbashi, Tokyo

1983  Sound Objects Exhibition, Aoyama Art Salon, Tokyo

 

Selected Group Exhibitions

 

2016 The 60th CWAJ Exhibition of Contemporary Japanese Prints, Highfield Hall & Gardens,MA.USA

2016  ISSEY MIYAKEBotanical Delights, collaboration with Miyake fashion, Miyake’s shops in Tokyo (Ginza, Shinjuku), KobeandOsaka

2016  Setouchi Triennale 2016:Akinorium,Ogijima Island, Takamatsu

2015 City Living—BankART1929’s Activities, Gwangju Museum of Art, South Korea

2015 Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale 2015, Niigata (Installation and also performances as a member of Monju-no-Chienetsu)

2014  Flower and Greenery Fair, Anderson Park, Chiba

2014  Art@Tsuchizawa, Hanamaki, Iwate

2014  Bushwick Open Studios 2014, Bogart Studio, NY, USA

2014  FIGMENT NYC 2014, Governors Island, NY, USA

2013  BankART Open Studio 2013, “Sound Theater,” BankART Studio NYK, Yokohama 

2013  Handmade Creative Festa, Yokohama Tokyu Hands, Yokohama

2012  Water and Land: Niigata Art Festival 2012, Matsuhama, Niigata

2012  The 29th National Urban Greenery Fair Tokyo, Inogashira Park, Tokyo

2012  Okayama Art Corridor, Korakuen Park, Okayama

2011  BankART Life III, Shin Minatomura, Yokohama

2011  Okayama Art Corridor Pre-Exhibition, Korakuen Park, Okayama

2011  Saitama Muse Forum: Migrating Art Museum II, Kita-Urawa West Exit Ginza Shopping District, Saitama

2011  Art@Tsuchizawa: Machikado Museum 2011, Hanamaki, Iwate

2011  Science Museum in the Amusing Sound Kingdom, Kawaguchi Science Museum, Saitama

2010  Setouchi Triennale 2010, Residences in Ogijima, Kagawa

2010  Trend in Art, The Museum, Bunkamura, Tokyo

2010  Artistic Perception Via Sound Art, Museum of Modern Art, Saitama

2009  Water and Land: Niigata Art Festival 2009,“Sound Scenes Matsuhama,”Matsuhama Shopping District, Niigata

2009  Sendai Art Walk: Sound Scenes-Sendai Version, Miyagi Museum of Art, Miyagi

2009  Aqua Metropolis Osaka 2009, Nakanoshima Park, Osaka

2009  SMF the Ring of Art, Kitaurawa Park, Saitama

2008  Open! Public Space, Yokohama City Hall Entrance, Kanagawa

2008  The Warmth of Wood, Amid Play, Nerima Art Museum, Tokyo

2008  Art Tornado Festival, Kitaurawa Shopping District, Saitama

2008  The 26th National Urban Greenery Fair, Ota, Gunma

2007  Art@Tsuchizawa: Advance, Iwate

2007  The 24th National Urban Greenery Fair in Funabashi, Andersen Park, Chiba

2006  Art@Tsuchizawa 2006, Iwate

2005  Hijiyama Art Project, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Hiroshima

2004  Listening to the ‘Hayama’ Today, The Museum of Modern Art, Hayama, Kanagawa

2004  Expo 2004: Ehime Machinami Exposition, Ehime

2003 Summer Exhibition and Workshop, Utsunomiya Museum of Art, Tochigi

2002 Sound Objects, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo

2000  Botanical Fair 2000, Florante Miyazaki, Miyazaki

1999  The Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh, Osmani Memorial Hall and National Gallery, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Awarded the Grand Prize

1998  The 4th Oita Asian Sculpture Exhibition, Asakura Fumio Memorial Park, Oita

1997  Art for All Exhibition, National Children’s Castle, Tokyo

1995  Passage of Wind Exhibition, Downtown Omiya, Saitama

1994  Leaves of Autumn—Sound of Bamboo, The Goto Museum, Tokyo

1992  Festival of Early Childhood, Queensland State Theater, Australia

1991  Art is Fun No.2, Hara Museum ARC, Gunma

1991  Concert in the Rain, Hara Museum, Tokyo

1990  An Instinct for Play, Setagaya Art Museum, Tokyo

1989  ART-EXCITING, The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama

1989  The 3rd Tokyo Open-Air Contemporary Sculpture Exhibition, Setagaya Ward Kinuta Park, Tokyo. Awarded The Citizen Prize.

1989  Japanese Ways, Western Means, Queensland State Museum of Art, Australia

1989  TODAY’S ART: Fantastic Skillful Virtuosity, The Museum of Fine Arts, Gifu

1988  Movement and Modern Art, The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama

1988  Sound Garden, Striped House Museum of Art, Tokyo

1988  Light and Form, National Children’s Castle, Tokyo

1987  Japanese Music Exhibition, Sogetsu Hall, Tokyo

1987  Sound Garden, Striped House Museum of Art, Tokyo

1987  The 5th Henry Moore Grand Prize Exhibition, Utsukushi-ga-hara Open-Air Museum, Nagano. 

Awarded The Utsukushi-ga-hara Open-Air Museum Prize

1986  The 2nd Tokyo Open-Air Contemporary Sculpture Exhibition, Setagaya Kinuta Park, Tokyo.

.  Awarded ‘The Most Popular Work’ Prize.

1986  Sound and Form, National Children’s Castle, Tokyo

1986  The 16th International Art Exhibition of Japan, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum and Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art

1985  The 17th Exhibition of Japanese Contemporary Art, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, and Kyoto Municipal

Museum of Art.  Awarded the Merit Prize (also in 1989)

1985  ‘85 Atelier Nouveau Competition, Seibu Art Forum, Tokyo, Japan. Awarded the First Prize (also in 1989)

1984  Humor in Contemporary Art, The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama

1978  The 12th International Art Exhibition in Japan, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo. 

         Awarded the Merit Prize.

Monju-no-Chienetsu Performances

2013  Monju-no-Chienetsu Performance, Yokohama Museum of Eurasian Cultures, Yokohama

2010  Monju-no-Chienetsu Performance, BankART Studio NYK, Yokohama

2009  Monju-no-Chienetsu Performance: UNG-A, BankART Studio NYK, Yokohama 

2008  Monju-no-Chienetsu Performance: I-Need-You, Art Complex Center, Tokyo

2005  Monju-no-Chienetsu Performance, Pastoral Hall, Yamaguchi

2003  Monju-no-Chienetsu No. 13: Sunny Side Up, National Children’s Castle, Aoyama, Tokyo

2003  Monju-no-Chienetsu Performance, CLUB QUATTRO, Shibuya, Tokyo

2002  Monju-no-Chienetsu Performance, India Habitat Centre, Delhi, India

2002  Monju-no-Chienetsu Performance, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Hiroshima

2001  Monju-no-Chienetsu No. 12: BOX-ING, Suzunari Theatre, Tokyo

2000  Monju-no-Chienetsu No. 11: Desperate Plight, Striped House Museum of Art, Tokyo

1998  Morio Agata Exhibition: Monju-no-Chienetsu Performance, Municipal Otaru Literature Museum, Hokkaido

1997  Monju-no-Chienetsu No. 10: Bamboo Ring Ceremony, Student Hall, Hosei University

1997  Monju-no-Chienetsu No. 9: Travelling◎Rings, Niitsu Art Museum, Niigata

1997  Monju-no-Chienetsu Performance: We Don’t Give a Damn Anymore Either!” (Exhibition: Japanese

Summer 1960-64: I Don’t Give a Damn Anymore!), Contemporary Art Gallery, Art Tower Mito, Ibaraki

1996  Gallerism: Monju-no-Chienetsu Performance, Osaka Prefectural Center of Cultural Information, Osaka

1996  Monju-no-Chienetsu No. 8: Desperate Plight, Striped House Museum of Art, Tokyo

1996 ART LIFE 21 JOIN ME!: Monju-no-Chienetsu Performance, Spiral, Aoyama, Tokyo

1996  Monju-no-Chienetsu No. 7: The Fin de Matsu Akinorium, Proto Theater, Tokyo

1995  Monju-no-Chienetsu No. 6: Urban Cowboy, Student Hall, Hosei University, Tokyo

1992  Monju-no-Chienetsu No. 5: A Clone Castle, Student Hall, Hosei University, Tokyo

1992  Monju-no-Chienetsu No. 4: The Void Theory of Macaroni, Xebec Hall, Kobe, Hyogo

1991  Monju-no-Chienetsu No. 3: No’s Ark (lit. Brain’s Ark), Studio 200, Ikebukuro Seibu, Tokyo

1990  Monju-no-Chienetsu No. 2: The Travels of the Southland, Studio 200, Ikebukuro Seibu, Tokyo

1989  Monju-no-Chienetsu No. 1: Buzz, Buzz, Buzz, DA. M House, Tokyo