Hirona Matsuda is a collector of things. Nothing is too small or insignificant to escape her interest. She has been collecting and cataloging the origins of these objects for years, and found that the items discarded in various parts of Charleston to be a fascinating representation of our economically diverse city.
In the spirit of a conventional CSA, she is emphasizing the local origins of the materials that are being put into this series for the Winter season. The work uses objects that were all found near a specific street, building, or public space in the area. Each unique piece is the artist’s interpretation of the story that is contained within the object. Some may find imagery within the work that is familiar to them as it relates to the place it represents, but some stories will have to be left to the imagination.
Hirona Matsuda constructs miniature installations and contraptions using found objects. With materials that range from discarded fishing rods to preserved bumble bees, her towering library of objects provides a never-ending source for ideas. Viewers are drawn into the oddly familiar but alternate worlds that exist within her work.
The inclination to preserve the remnants of our lives overlaps with her interest in studying the past. The excavation and cataloging that is a predominant part of her process stems from a love of anthropology and a childhood impulse to create collections.
Matsuda has shown locally at the City Gallery at Waterfront Park, the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, Redux Contemporary Art Center, and various private galleries. She is currently represented by Michael Mitchell Gallery in Charleston’s design district.
FEATURED WITH:
Christine Bush Roman
Matthew Dietz
Ashley Harwood
Donna Cooper Hurt
Melinda Mead Scharstein
1 Comment
Comments are closed.