The works of Japanese artist Kazumasa Matsui are being showcased in the pet-friendly “Matsui ‘The Dog’ 1st Overseas Solo Exhibition in Macau”, which is being held at Navy Yard No.1 in the Barra district until October 31.
Held in collaboration with local fashion retail brand THE BIG APPLE, the exhibition, which marks the artist’s first outside of Japan, is the finale in integrated resort (IR) operator MGM’s Barra District “Summer Hype” Series, according to a recent statement from the company.
On display at Navy Yard No. 1 are various acrylics in Matsui’s “The Dog” series, which uses black contour lines and bright primary colours to depict the “lively personality and humour of dogs”, a statement displayed at the exhibition notes.
The Aichi-prefecture born young artist started creating “The Dog” series in 2019 after he graduated from the Nagoya University of Arts and Sciences Department of Visual Media, the statement said. Since his first solo exhibition in 2022, his works have centred around this theme.
Matsui, the statement added, has loved dogs since he was a child and considers them his best friends. The gallery statement underlined that the works express his endless love for dogs, with each painting “telling a small story filled with humour and warmth”, hoping that viewers can “feel the pure and sincere emotions within”.
The statement said that Matsui’s works have been displayed in various galleries in Japan, while he has collaborated with brands such as Japan fashion group BEAMS and CASETiFY, the latter of which creates phone cases and accessories for electronics.
There are workshops held alongside the exhibition, while limited-edition products co-developed by THE BIG APPLE creative team and the artist are being sold at a pop-up store, according to the exhibition statement. There are also themed offerings by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at Navy Yard No. 2 throughout the exhibition, along with an outdoor dog park.
The exhibition is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with more information available on
https://www.mgm.mo/en/cotai/entertainment/Matsui-The-Dog.
Photos taken yesterday by Rui Pastorin
