TOMOKAZU MATSUYAMA (Japanese, B. 1976)

Bringing together aspects of both Eastern and Western aesthetics. Tomokazu Matsuyama's work responds to his own bi-cultural experience of growing up between Japan and America. Like many of his paintings, Qilin Omega (Lot 193) and Alpha, Alpha, Alpha (Lot 194) combine the technique of classical Asian art with the conceptual symbolism required by American contemporary art. Both feature mythical East Asian creatures, Qilin and Dragon, symbols of potent and auspicious power. Matsuyama painted them in layers of hyper-colored stripes, splatters and drips, giving a nod to American action painters. In August 2014, Matsuyama was selected for Harbour City Sculpture Project in Hong Kong, which had Yayoi Kusama, Kaws, Yue Minjun and Florentijn Hofman in the past. The project included a 22-feet high, mirror-polished stainless steel sculpture along with a light box installation that stretched nearly 100 feet across the main entrance of the complex. Tomokazu Matsuyama is emblematic of today's diverse and global art world.