Kumamoto Letters

As part of a co-project in LA and Kumamoto, Japan, this exhibition “Kumamoto Letters” showcases the unique culture, beauty, and people of Kumamoto. Takeshi Matsunaga, an artist from Kumamoto, has been gaining recognition and acclaim both in Japan and overseas. He will bring 20+ oil paintings that feature some of the most iconic images of Kumamoto, as well as of LA.

Matsunaga began selling art on the street when he was 18. He moved to Tokyo to sell his art in Harajuku when he was 22. He realized he couldn’t make a living this way and stopped pursuing his dream. When he was 26, Matsunaga returned to Kumamoto after experiencing the Great East Japan Earthquake. The outdoors of Kumamoto inspired him to again pursue his dream of becoming an artist. A turning point came when he was 31 when he received an award at the 2015 Kawaramachi Art Awards and got his first chance to put on an exhibition. In 2017 at the age of 32, Matsunaga held his first exhibition “2000 Sketches for ¥200” and began making a living as an artist.