ANA MATSUBARA: うろうろ [uro-uro]

Stemming from Matsubara’s time spent in her ancestral homeland of Tottori Prefecture, Japan, uro-uro explores legacy, materiality and diasporic trajectories through a selection of molded and painted washi paper as well as photography and video documentation. As outgrowths of a two-month long apprenticeship with washi paper artisans in Aoya Valley, Tottori, the exhibited materials act as shrines to Matsubara’s development of tactile knowledge and uncovering of cultural and familial heritage. 

Washi, or traditional Japanese paper, is primarily crafted from the inner fibers of kozo, mitsumata and gampi plants. In contrast to pulp-style paper, the time-intensive washi-making process holds material and cultural properties that expand beyond Western notions of paper. During her time in Aoya Valley, Matsubara studied at three washi production sites - the Hirotomi family’s home workshop, Aoya Washi Kobou washi studio, and the washi wall paper factory, Daiinshu Seishi. From choosing to continue using traditional tools despite economic setbacks or alternately embracing modern machinery, they carry on the region’s centuries-old washi legacy from varying perspectives. Consistent across the three sites is a clear connection between washi production and place, tethering local nature to the stewardship of national and personal washi legacies.

Excerpt from うろうろ [uro-uro] Exhibition Statement. Co-authored by Storm Bookhard (Curator) and Ana Matsubara (exhibited artist)

Venue: Helen Lindhurst Fine Art Gallery at the University of Southern California

Dates: February 22, 2023 - March 10, 2023