Naoki Matsuo

Naoki Matsuo was born in Kagoshima Prefecture in 1962. Since his time as a student at Kyoto City University of Arts, he has presented his work at “Poly Mode” (Kyoto City University of Arts Art Gallery in 1982, Osaka Contemporary Art Center in 1983), “Yes Art” (1983, 1984), and more. He held his first solo exhibition in 1985 at Gallery 16, also exhibiting at “The Critical Point in Art ’85” and “Art Now ’87”. While his work is based on formal painting construction, it also incorporates expressionistic painting methods. While referencing the space of traditional Japanese painting, it also deals with subcultural themes and has garnered attention for its unique attempts to update painting in a hybrid manner. In 1995, Matsuo exhibited at “VOCA ’95: The Vision of Contemporary Art 1995” (The Ueno Royal Museum), and in 2018, he painted animals at a solo exhibition entitled “Gazing Back From 1000 Years Ago”. Through his work, he has consistently been pursuing the possibilities of pictorial expression.