Frank S. Matsura: Iconoclast Photographer of the American West

A captivating collection of Native American portraiture by early 20th-century Japanese photographer Frank S. Matsura frames the rarely told story of his work and unique personal life.

Frank S. Matsura (1873-1913) was an immigrant photographer, a local hero, a charismatic original, an enigma, and a man of the community whose legacy has grown over time. Today, historians are still compiling the details of Frank’s unconventional life, and his identity and images are enjoying a revival. An expansion of academic scholarship, documentaries, exhibitions, and regional historical interests, particularly regarding his Native American portraiture, has resulted in a more vivid understanding of the man and his work:

• Matsura’s photographs of local tribal members reveal an honesty and empathy, a counterpoint to the contrived or nostalgic seen in his contemporaries’ images from the same period.
• His oeuvre of just ten years (due to his unexpected passing from tuberculosis) documents everyday local events and the cacophony of characters who visited his studio for dime portraits.
• There are parallels to be found between Matsura’s work and today’s society in attempts to rise above anti-Asian bias, the continued pursuit of cultural agency, and a desire to individually define what America can and should be.

Along with beautifully reproduced black-and-white photographs, the book features narratives from five scholars who give life and context to Matsura’s work, celebrating his captivating photography as a look into immigrant artists, American identity, and the history of a fluid and multicultured exceptionalism.

THE FIRST COMPREHENSIVE BOOK OF ITS KIND: Frank Matsura was a Japanese-born photographer who lived in northern Washington State in the early 20th century. This is a rare and comprehensive exploration of his life, including the juxtaposition of his work against the images of Native American people by American photographer Edward S. Curtis.

MATSURA’S SINGULAR WORK AND STYLE: Matsura’s work broke many cultural and photographic taboos of the time. He took candid and relaxed photos of his subjects, including local Native American tribes. Many of his images were spontaneous group photos of locals in character and costume. He included himself in many of his photos, and he included interracial couples in his images as well.

A HIDDEN FIGURE WHOSE TIME HAS COME: This collection was based on a 2023 exhibit at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture. Interest in Matsura’s work has gained momentum over the years, and this book coincides with the release of Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Beth Harrington’s documentary Our Mr. Matsura on his work and legacy.

Perfect for:

• American and Native American history buffs
• Photographers and artists
• Fans of Frank Matsura’s unconventional story and work
• Lovers of vintage, historical, and portrait photography

Michael Holloman is a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and a professor in the Department of Art at Washington State University. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Native American art history and the studio arts while maintaining duties for the university as the coordinator for Native Arts, Outreach and Education.

Contributors:
Laurie Arnold, Ph.D., Professor of History & Director of Native American Studies at Gonzaga University and an enrolled member of the Sinixt Band of the Colville Confederated Tribes

Maki Fukuoka, Ph.D., Associate Professor, History of Art, University of Leeds

Glen Mimura, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies and Asian-American Studies at the University of California, Irvine

Beth Harrington, Producer/Director/Writer, and Emmy Award-winning independent filmmaker whose work focuses on American culture, history, art, and music.