Our Mr. Matsura

Frank Matsura, the orphaned son of a samurai, emigrates to the American West in 1901, settling in remote Washington State. There he joins a community of Native people and newly arrived settlers. He quickly becomes the region’s leading photographer and most beloved citizen. His work, which transcends the prosaic photographs typical of the times, is characterized by unusual self-portraits and playful collaborations with his subjects. His death at age 39 is a blow to all. A century later, the people of the county and the tribes still have pride and a sense of personal connection to him and the work he created.