Acrylic on canvas

92 × 92 cm. 36 1/4 × 36 1/4 in.

Signed in English and dated on the reverse

LITERATURE
2005, Super Acrylic Skin, Tokyo Gallery, Tokyo, p. 23
2007, Hiroyuki Matsuura, Tokyo Gallery + BTAP, Tokyo, p. 52-53 and 62
EXHBITED
28 Nov - 24 Dec 2005, Hiroyuki Matsuura - Super Acrylic Skin, Tokyo Gallery + BTAP, Tokyo

PROVENANCE
Tokyo Gallery + BTAP, Tokyo
Private Collection, Europe
Private collection, Asia

Galloping and Beyond of Soul and Imagination

Born in Tokyo in 1964, Hiroyuki Matsuura spent his early years as a graphic designer, but in 1999 he realized that he was not satisfied with his commercial work and decided to create pure art. At that time, the Japanese cartoon craze was sweeping the world and he was attracted by the colourful and fantastical cartoon characters, and creating own idols became his constant subject for the next 20 years. After only two years as an artist, his work was recognised and he was awarded the Scout Prize at the Art Dojo GP at MOT exhibition by Takashi Murakami in 2001. Nowadays, Hiroyuki Matsuura is not only a painter, but his artworks are also displayed as sculptures, designer toys, and even costumes. He has had solo exhibitions in Tokyo, Taiwan, Beijing and Amsterdam, and his works have been collected by the Long Museum of Art in Shanghai. He has also been featured in major exhibitions such as the Venice Biennale and the Biennale of Aesthetics and Comics.

Escape 2 was first presented at Hiroyuki Matsuura's first solo exhibition Super Acrylic Skin in Tokyo in 2005, meaning that his characters are only covered in a layer of “acrylic skin” but have their own souls. Since then, the name has been used in almost every solo exhibition until 2020, and has meant a great deal to the artist throughout his ten-year journey. Throughout his creative journey, he has remained true to his original vision, focusing on the main characters. This artwork is the “middle” scene in the “Escape” series, in which the same blonde child is seen from “far”, “middle” and “near” angles, with impactful close-ups and balanced compositions that perfectly show the main character's facial focus. The protagonist, with pale blonde curls and turquoise blue eyes, has obscured gender and identity the character's brow locked, and teeth clenched, seems to be leaping out of his cage or running fiercely on the road to escape, displaying the “cool” attitude of the new generation. The dynamic and powerful black lines which inherited from the Ukiyo-e outline the backward swinging arms of the protagonists, the fluttering plush hats and ties, full of the powerful energy of the frame. The overall coolness of the work is brought about by the clean, crisp blue and white colour scheme, and the protagonist, who is outside of the background, is evocative: what is he or she escaping from and why? The creation of the plot is handed over to the audience by Hiroyuki Matsuura, whose characters have the ability to transcend time and space and are not bound to a specific plot, allowing their imagination to run wild.

Price estimate:
HKD: 70,000 - 100,000
USD: 8,900 - 12,700

Auction Result:
HKD: --