Yuki Matsueda – Caution! Beware of Sharks

In Caution! Beware of Sharks, Japanese conceptual artist Yuki Matsueda once again explodes the boundaries between symbol and reality. This piece features a standard warning sign—yellow triangle with black border—adorned with the familiar hazard message: “Caution! Beware of sharks.” But unlike passive signage, this artwork does not stay still.

A glossy, three-dimensional shark physically erupts through the flat surface, tearing through the symbol that was meant to contain it. Its body stretches and distorts the transparent plastic in its wake—transforming visual warning into actual encounter.

Conceptual Significance:

• Symbol becomes threat: Rather than merely warning about a danger, the sign now is the danger. It literalizes the abstract, putting viewers face-to-face with what they were merely supposed to imagine.

• Escaping flatness: As with Matsueda’s broader portfolio, this work challenges our reliance on flat symbols to define complex realities. When the metaphor becomes physical, it becomes unignorable.

• Subversion of safety: Signage typically assures safety through information. In contrast, this piece asserts that sometimes no warning is enough.