Donated by the Morio Matsui in 2003, this painting is characteristic of his work, whichcan be categorized both as figurative or abstract. Here, the background was first painted with projections of dark, grey shades and splatters of yellow and black. Matsui then used a very thin paintbrush to animate the canvas with white arabesques and ornamental patterns. The detailed lines recall the art of calligraphy and also reinforce the impression of an abstract design. As in all of his works, Matsui wants to reveal his perception of the world but, more importantly, he wants the public to feel free to interpret its significance according to one’s own story, without needing a key to understanding the painting’s profound meaning.

Artist biography

Born in 1942 in Japan, Morio Matsui studied at the School of Fine Arts in Tokyo. After winning a scholarship delivered by the French government, he continued his training in Paris at the Académie Julian and later at the French National School of Fine Arts. Many of his works have been selected through the years by the Japan Ministry of National Education to illustrate school textbooks. Apart from Japan, he has exhibited around the world, especially in Paris (France), as well as in Geneva (Switzerland), Dallas and San Francisco (USA), Toronto (Canada), Hong Kong (China) and Madrid (Spain). His lithographs can also be found in the Bibliothèque Nationale’s collection in Paris.

In these past years, Morio Matsui has dedicated himself to graphic prints on monumental canvases (he spent approximately two and a half years working on a 5 x 2 m painting). He now uses endless pattern repetitions that could be seen as a completely abstract expression alhtough, in fact, each painting tells a story and suggests a landscape, a character, a scene…

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