Conceptual nominee

We will transform the world.
The pursuit of convenience and the advance of progress are fundamental desires of humankind.
What are we seeking beyond that?

In this work, seafood from a store was photographed with a camera. The creatures' gastrointestinal tracts were dissolved with potassium hydroxide, the residue was separated with a protein detection solution, and microplastics were identified using a near-infrared spectroscopic sensor and photographed using a scanning electron microscope. By compositing images of the seafood with images of the microplastics taken from the seafood, the reaction of convenience is visualized, and transformation of the invisible world becomes manifest.

In 2013, I started creating art based on the beauty and mystery of nature and outer space. My works include sound art that overlay countless layers of my own voice, a sound installation designed to be experienced by 1 person in a massive space that fits 10,000 people, and art that depicts the world of microorganisms through the lenses of a scanning electron microscope. I am active on many fronts, having won awards in the PX3, Europe's biggest and most prestigious photography competition, and being featured in scientific media such as the National Geographic. I am also involved in joint research and creative projects with universities and companies to generate sounds from atoms. I am also an active musician, playing under the pseudonym Tomoya Matsuura at domestic music festivals like the Fuji Rock Festival and my music has been chosen for best albums in the music media overseas. I have composed music for drama shows, movies, and songs that have won the Space Shower Music Awards.