Close-up of "dejavu" 2011 by Reika Nakayama, acrylic, pencil and pen on canvas. Black thin lines are drawn on white acrylic.

And in "eye-catch", she depicts textures of feather or fur with pencil on mat black paint. The set of two paintings left the strongest and most lasting impression on me. Several confrontations can be seen here, between colors & black-and-white, close-up view & distant view, predator & prey and abstract & figurative. These contrasts caused strong tension in this work.

"eye-catch" 2011-2012 by Reika Nakayama, acrylic and pencil on canvas


Close-up of "eye-catch" 2011-2012 by Reika Nakayama, acrylic and pencil on canvas. Texture of fur is minutely described with pencil.


Exhibition view of Reika Nakayama "Sleeping diary - to paradise -" at Mori Yu Gallery

Originally specialized in oil painting, however, Nakayama has explored various styles of art such as painting, collage and three dimensional works until now. She also studied printmaking at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México during 2005-2007. After returning from Mexico in 2008, she begun devoting herself into painting. We can see deep influence of Mexican culture in her works. Angels, brightly-colored flowers and fluttering ribbons shown in "Sleeping diary - to paradise -" are common motifs in the decoration of altars in Mexico.


"Sleeping diary - to paradise -" 2011-2012 by Reika Nakayama, acrylic, pencil, pen and photocopy on canvas

The latest work from her most notable series "Safarism". As seen in "eye-catch", Nakayama often uses the juxtaposition of colorful image with black and white. She explains that colored side represents "outside" or "image seen while we are awake" and black and white represents "inside" or "image seen while we are asleep".


"Safarism-Zoom" 2011-2012 by Reika Nakayama, acrylic and pencil on canvas

The background of multicolored vertical and horizontal lines layered on top of each other is one of the peculiarities of Reika Nakayama. She says she was inspired by the vivid colors of Mexican fabric.


Detail of "Safarism-Zoom" 2011-2012 by Reika Nakayama


Exhibition view of Reika Nakayama "Sleeping diary - to paradise -" at Mori Yu Gallery

Smaller works are arranged in the next exhibition room. Small yet every piece has some kind of daydream-inducing atmosphere. This is one big reason why Nakayama's works attract and hold viewer's eyes firmly. Then we will unconsciously gravitate towards her vibrant dreamscapes filled with visions of paradise.


"See you in my dreams" 2011 by Reika Nakayama, acrylic and pencil on canvas


[left to right] "A" 2011-2012, acrylic, pencil and pen on canvas, "Deer flower" 2011, acrylic and pencil on canvas, "Flower Charm" 2011, acrylic, pencil and pen on canvas by Reika Nakayama


Exhibition view of Reika Nakayama "Sleeping diary - to paradise -" at Mori Yu Gallery


"Sleepless dream Vol.2" 2011 by Reika Nakayama, acrylic, pencil and pen on canvas


Mori Yu Gallery, located alongside Biwako-sosui canal in Okazaki, the most cultured area of Kyoto, is providing ongoing opportunities to meet noteworthy contemporary artists, both young and experienced. In 2008, they opened their second premises at Kagurazaka, Tokyo.


text and photos by Natsuki Niimi


Exhibition Info
Date: 21 January - 10 March, 2012
Place: Mori Yu Gallery Kyoto
Address: 4-19, Shougoin-rengezou-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan

"DOMANI, The Art of Tomorrow Exhibition" was held at the National Art Center, Tokyo. 


The real Japanese art world was there!

The DOMANI exhibition has been held 13 times, and this year marks its 14th anniversary. This annual exhibition is an opportunity for artists who studied abroad on the Overseas Study Program for Artists funded by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs to present the results of their studies. This time, eight artists were featured, who recently went abroad on this program and have not yet exhibited their works at the DOMANI exhibition.


This overseas program also celebrates its 45th anniversary this year. To commemorate this, 53 artists who studied on this program in the past were exhibiting their works with the 8 featured artists.



We're going to show the variety of expressions by tomorrow's leading artists!





Makiko Yamaguchi "Wings No.2" 2011

When I entered the exhibit space, my eyes were glued to the large, softly colored canvases. The main theme of Makiko Yamaguchi's work is "rebirth".


detail: "Wings No.2"

She uses water pigments with gradation, bleeding and pooling techniques.

She controls her paintings' randomness, sketching over and over again in advance.



Makiko Yamaguchi　"Bird Joy No.1-8" 2011

"Bird" is a motif that attracted Yamaguchi during her stay in the UK on the Overseas Study Program for Artists. Her paintings of birds feel like a touch of shining life.






In the next room, the atmosphere changes completely.

Mamoru Abe has been working on iron installations.

He actually created his works using fire and his own body.
 

exhibition view of Mamoru Abe's work

His works have real presence, beyond that of the material.





Tsukasa Yokozawa, based in New York, is a photographer who presents fresh sceneries created from his unique point of view and sense of distance.


Tsukasa Yokozawa "Parallel Lives #A4" 2009, Motus Fort



In this picture, separate elements are shown as if adjoined.

Impossible visions become possible by lens effects.

This is the magic of photography!


Tsukasa Yokozawa "Lexington Avenue" 2011

To my amazement, the artist took photos of all the street trees from Gramercy Park up to 82nd Street, walking along Lexington Avenue in New York!

Look at the detail.


detail: "Lexington Avenue"



Ryo Shiotani is one of the most popular painters in the field of realistic painting.



exhibition view of Ryo Shiotani's work



His work is so delicate and beautiful.

I felt as if the models in the pictures were going to start moving!


Ryo Shiotani "Olga" 2008-2009, private collection 





Nobuko Watabiki stayed in Germany on the Overseas Study Program, and started to utilize used clothing for her work.
What she felt the most different from Japan were the colors of the clothes.

She considers used clothes to have colors chosen by German people.


Nobuko Watabiki  "Only the Toes are Honest to the Heart" 2010


detail: Nobuko Watabiki "Outside the Caves, There is a Night Shaped like a Cave" 2011

These are the arms of used clothes.　Arms imply signs of people.
There is nobody wearing them, but you definitely feel the presence of people.
It is a mysterious work.





Mutsumi Tsuda took up the descendants and history of Japanese immigrants in New Caledonia as the theme of her work. 



exhibition view of Mutsumi Tsuda's work

Her activities consisted of research of primary sources, interviews and photo shoots at areas where Japanese immigrants lived.





Mutsumi Tsuda "Nina - Nisei" 2006

In the pictures on the wall, people's smiles or their clam lives were surrounded by beautiful landscapes.　But I felt as if the immigrants' invisible sorrow and heavy history were oozing out of these photographs.  
 






Sako Kojima feels like she is a mouse, a tiny, fragile existence in this wide world. She has been working on the theme, mouse--her alter ego. 


exhibition view of Sako Kojima's work

The quiet cry of a mouse comes out of the movie..... 


exhibition view of Sako Kojima's work

Her works leave a strong impression, contrary to her motif of the fragile existence of mice.





Hisaharu Motoda describes the end of the world--big cities without people, eroded by growing plants.
 These scenarios are all totally fictitious, but don't you feel like you've seen them? 


Hisaharu Motoda "Indication-Diet Building, Tokyo3" 2008


Hisaharu Motoda "Indication-Tokyo Tower5" 2007-2009


In addition to the above artists, 53 leading artists were exhibited their works.
The view of the museum where the works by experienced artists were gathered was really overwhelming!




text and photo by Yoshiko Anetai




Exhibition Info

Date: 14 January - 12 Februrary, 2012

Place: The National Art Center, Tokyo

Address: 7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan 

Now, here's good news for all of you who read this article to the end.


Exhibition catalogue of "DOMANI" 2012.

To show our appreciation for your warm support, we are happy to give out two exhibition catalogues wherever you live. The winners will be selected in a drawing and will be informed by email. Please fill in the form below and submit it. 

Painting "Nyctalopia" by Fuyuko Matsui (2005, collection of Mr. Akimitsu Naruyama) Photo: Yokohama Museum of Art

The three most prominent themes in her work are pain, insanity, and death. It is interesting, therefore, to see how she conveys such harrowing concepts through very feminine imagery. In "Insane Woman under the Cherry Tree," a female figure stands with long strands of hair in her right hand and a breast in her left hand, while she regurgitates a fetus. In "Light Indentations Mingle and Run in All Directions," a woman carries a fetus in her womb, along with a skull. It is tempting to read into such symbolic images, but Matsui provides context and clarification for her paintings by placing explanatory placards next to many of her pieces. In one of the show's highlights, "Keeping up the Pureness," the artist explains to her audience that the painting presents the state of being a woman capable of reproducing in contemporary society. Her fear-provoking works also act as "purifying agents," which she creates to face and go through painful, terrifying experiences on behalf of those who may actually be in agony or in fear.


Painting "Insane Woman under the Cherry Tree" by Fuyuko Matsui (2005, private collection)


Painting "Keeping up the Pureness" by Fuyuko Matsui (2004, permanent loan to the Hirano Museum of Art) Photo: Yokohama Museum of Art


Detail of painting "Keeping up the Pureness" by Fuyuko Matsui


Painting "Immediately Turning Gentle and Falling Asleep" by Fuyuko Matsui (2004, Gallery Naruyama)

Painting "Unification of the Four Limbs" by Fuyuko Matsui (2011, collection of the artist)

Painting "Virgin Specimen" by Fuyuko Matsui (2009, Mori Art Museum)

Painting "Place of Bodies" by Fuyuko Matsui (2011, collection of the artist)

Coming out of the exhibit, I felt like I got a glimpse of a very private part of the artist's mind. However, the austerity of the nihon-ga production process seems to transform intimate secrets into carefully crafted messages. While the exhibition is full of what should be grotesque, frightening, and sometimes even depressing visuals, such negativity did not stick with me. As a woman, I came out thoroughly impressed by the young artist's talent and her capacity to empathize with her own sex, and I reflected on my own life, looking forward to my own future.

text and photos by Makiko Arima

Curator's quote: Sae Yatsuyanagi, "Matsui Fuyuko--The Artist and the Art" in Fuyuko MATSUI: Becoming Friends with All the Children in the World, trans. Brian Amstutz (Tokyo: Editions Treville, 2011).
Artist's quote: Fuyuko Matsui, "Becoming Friends with All the Children in the World" in Fuyuko MATSUI: Becoming Friends with All the Children in the World, trans. Brian Amstutz (Tokyo: Editions Treville, 2011).

Exhibition Info
Date: December 17, 2011 - March 18, 2012
Place: Yokohama Museum of Art
Address: 3-4-1 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan

NANZUKA and Yamamoto Gendai booth in Art Stage Singapore 2012

We Are Asia', roared the ad campaign for the second edition of Art Stage Singapore, and Japan was not short on representatives at the island nation's second attempt to establish itself as a vital destination in the Asian art scene. 

The sophomore edition of Art Stage Singapore drew 133 galleries from 19 countries and a swarm of 31,000 visitors who flocked to Marina Bay Sands' Convention Centre by the sea to see some of Asia's most exciting works. The exhibition ran for four days, from 12 - 15 January. 

Azito's three partner galleries, NANZUKA, Yamamoto Gendai and Mori Yu Gallery made a strong showing as well. 

The combined NANZUKA, Yamamoto Gendai galleries saw a non-stop flow of visitors to their booth.

Hajime Sorayama. 'Headbangers' on the right, 'Sleepers' on the left, were colourful acrylic pieces 

Close up of 'Headbangers'. The meticulous work, crazy colours and movement made this piece one of my favourites in the exhibition. 

Kei Imazu's 'Off the walls' was another instantly eye catching piece. 

An installation piece by Muneteru Ujino at Yamamoto Gendai booth provided a steady rhythmic beat that became a 'soundtrack' at their booth. 

Keiichi Tanaami's irrepressibly energetic works were on display as well, and here is his '[Superabundant existence]' 

Another of Azito's partners, Mori Yu Gallery, presented a more selective but visually captivating series of art pieces by the painter Sakae Ozawa. 

Sakae Ozawa's haunting dreamscapes on display at the Mori Yu Gallery booth. 

Sakae Ozawa's 'Silent Phase' 

Ozawa's surreal 'The world becomes dream, dream becomes world.' 

Besides Azito's partner galleries, a host of other Japanese galleries also exhibited at Art Stage 2012. The art pieces on display at Tomio Koyama Gallery had a distinctly pop art sensibility to them, which was right up my alley. 

Atsushi Fukui's 'the meadow of bunnies' 

Close up of 'the meadow of bunies', ink on paper 

Hideaki Kawashima's 'reflesh' and 'calm', from left to right. 

Osaka's Tezukayama Gallery's emotive series of photographs remembered the March 11 earthquake-tsunami that devastated the north-east coast of Japan, and inevitably came to dominate Japanese consciousness. 

Hirohito Nomoto's Façade and Debris prove that the catastrophe also pervaded the minds of Japanese artists. 

Hirohito Nomoto's Façade is a montage of 20 photos capturing the facades of 20 buildings wrecked in the disaster during his trip to affected areas. 

Ota Fine Arts' exhibit was one of the few video installation in the whole Art Stage 2012, having brought in the work of Hiraki Sawa. The walls of its darkened, enclosed booth were used as a projection screen for two nameless films, while what seemed to be an old antique television ran a monochrome film on loop in a lit corner. 

Tiny antique television. Artwork by Hiraki Sawa.

Still of one of the video pieces playing. In this section of the video, sand trickled down on the left hand side of the book shelf. 

A favourite find of mine however, has to be the simultaneously cute and awe-inspiring wood statues by Yoshimasa Tsuchiya, on display at the booth by Megumi Ogita Gallery. 

The 1.18m-tall 'Qilin', a mythical Chinese creature here re-interpreted by the artist Yoshimasa Tsuchiya, is both cute and elegant. Real crystal was embedded for eyes, and the artist used opals and other gems for the eyes of his other wooden statues as well. 

The Yoshiaki Inoue Gallery also put up an interesting variety of pieces, including a comic strip that when looked at from afar, formed the portrait of US sex siren Marilyn Monroe. 

The Yoshiaki Inoue Gallery booth 

'arenitsuitenomudabanashi-03' by Japanese artist U-die 

Hisaya Taira's series of seemingly mundane 'photos' are revealed to be impressively realistic paintings upon closer inspection, which speak of the artist's painstaking attention to detail. 'Escalator#24' 

Last but not least, Gallery Cellar put up a vibrant collection by the artist Tetsutaro Kamatani, whose vibrant photos were a joy to behold. 

Untitled piece by Tetsutaro Kamatani

"Sun Child", at exhibition "Kenji Yanobe: Sun Child, Taro's Children"

The first thing that caught my eyes, as I approached the museum, was a gigantic 6.2-meter-tall statue of a child wearing a yellow hazmat suit. This is the "Sun Child", a brand new work by Kenji Yanobe, triggered by the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the largest nuclear accident since Chernobyl, following the March 11 Tohoku earthquake. 

The Geiger counter set into the Sun Child's chestplate indicates "zero" and his helmet is in his hands. We find that he survived successfully through hardships. His face is dirty in some spots and sticking plaster is applied on his cheek, and yet his bright eyes give us a feeling of "hope". A neon sun shines for us who will go on living toward the future.


 2011 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Taro Okamoto, who greatly influenced Yanobe's life as an artist. In celebration of Okamoto's centenary, several exhibitions have been held in Japan this past year. The last one is this one, "Kenji Yanobe: Sun Child, Taro's Children". Collaborating with Okamoto's work, Yanobe presents a novel and exciting view before our eyes.


 exhibition view of "Kenji Yanobe: Sun Child, Taro's Children"

In what was once Okamoto's living room,  a life-size figure of Yanobe stands next to that of Okamoto. The room is littered with a number of "Mini Torayans". Geiger-counters set into "Mini Torayans" show various numbers such as "057", "346", "489"... Is this space contaminated with radiation? You can also see a ventriloquist dummy version of "Torayan" in the corner and cats wearing space helmets. What a chaotic and crazy sight to see!
 
Danger of nuclear power is a long-term theme for the artist. The origin of the yellow hazmat suit is the "Yellow Suit" (1991) made soon after the Mihama Nuclear Power Plant Accident, which occurred in 1991 in Western Japan. In 1997, he visited Chernobyl actually dressed in the "Atom Suit" (1997). Since then, yellow hazmat suits have been an icon of the artist.


exhibition view of "Kenji Yanobe: Sun Child, Taro's Children"

Like Kuya Shonin, a Japanese monk popularly known for spreading Pureland Buddhism without discrimination of rank, the life-size figure of the artist is spewing out small clones of himself from his mouth.

"Mini Torayan", exhibition view of "Kenji Yanobe: Sun Child, Taro's Children"

"Mini Torayan", exhibition view of "Kenji Yanobe: Sun Child, Taro's Children"

"Mini Torayan", exhibition view of "Kenji Yanobe: Sun Child, Taro's Children"

concept board of "Sun Child Island", at exhibition "Kenji Yanobe: Sun Child, Taro's Children"

"Sun Child Island" is a progressing plan for a magnificent cathedral, where people who worship the "true sun" can get married. All over the island is Yanobe's art work.

In one part of the concept board, you can see the "Turtle Island- THUMP!", presented in the past as a part of the picture book "Torayan's Great Adventure" (2007).

detail: concept board of "Sun Child Island", at exhibition "Kenji Yanobe: Sun Child, Taro's Children"

detail: concept board of "Sun Child Island", at exhibition "Kenji Yanobe: Sun Child, Taro's Children"

Here, too! "Torayan Picking Up the Small Sun".
You can get a lithograph version of these works below. Check out the "Related Works" section.

concept model of "Sun Child Island", at exhibition "Kenji Yanobe: Sun Child, Taro's Children"

The view of "Sun Child Island" reminds us of Mont Saint-Michael, the beautiful World Heritage in France.
Far away on the horizon, a big sun is symbolically shining above the center of the island.
Like Moses's Miracle in the Old Testament, when a couple comes and pledges their future together, the lake splits and a road appears that leads to the inside of the island.

concept model of "Sun Child Island", at exhibition "Kenji Yanobe: Sun Child, Taro's Children"

Inside the island, couples are led by a small sun to the inner cathedral, where a big marble statue of the "Sun Child" stands, and then the small sun becomes the big sun, exposed to the light gleaming from the ceiling. Under that sun, couples swear eternal happiness.

Yanobe says, "We may have created a wrong cathedral for the fake sun". Here, he means nuclear power plants by the "wrong cathedral" and nuclear power by the "fake sun". Human beings have worshiped the "true sun" since ancient times. He believes that we need to regain the "true sun" for our future, not the fake one of nuclear power. This is why he's working on this architectural plan. 

Kenji Yanobe working over "Sun Child", exhibition view of "Kenji Yanobe: Sun Child, Taro's Children"

documentary film "Sun Child, Child of Taro", exhibition view of "Kenji Yanobe: Sun Child, Taro's Children"

Along with the "Sun Child Island", you can watch several documentary films sitting on chairs designed by Taro Okamoto. Among them is "Sun Child, Taro's Children", in which you can see how the "Sun Child" was created. 

Portrait of Taro Okamoto, at exhibition "Kenji Yanobe: Sun Child, Taro's Children"


text by Yoshiko Anetai

Exhibition Info
Date: 28 October, 2011 - 26 Februrary, 2012
Place: The Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum, Tokyo
Address: 6-1-19 Minami Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Exhibition view of Yoko Ono "I want you to remember me" at Gallery 360 degree.

This picture was taken during the WWII in front of a shrine. The family originally lived in Hiroshima prefecture where the atomic bomb was dropped in 1945. Children and their mother moved to their relatives' place to evacuate and this photograph was taken at that time.

Close up look of the artwork by Yoko Ono.

The photograph was originally a very small piece. It was enlarged, put in a black frame and covered with one large glass. The artist, Yoko Ono held a hammer and stroke on the glass and this cracked artwork was created.

Close up look of the artwork by Yoko Ono.

It seems that Ono hit each figure's face or body on the picture and it gave me a fearful feeling.  The boy (in the middle in the photo above) lost his mother by the atomic bomb and died himself of dysentery. She may have expressed the horrible power of war which broke up everyone's lives easily. 

Exhibition view of Yoko Ono "I want you to remember me" at  Gallery 360 degree .

Nothing but only land was left after the war and that scenery is very similar to the Tohoku area when Tsunami carried and destroyed every buildings and houses. After the Tohoku earthquake happened this March, the Japanese word "Kuyashi-i" came up to Ono's mind. It is a word to express our feeling when we couldn't get a good result despite the effort and there is nothing we can do but have to accept the situation. Ono thought there is no exact word to express this feeling in English. Although she has lived outside on Japan for a long time, this fact reminded herself as a Japanese .

Exhibition view of Yoko Ono "I want you to remember me" at  Gallery 360 degree .

Ono traveled the Hiroshima and Nagasaki prefecture this year and ensured the tragedy of war.  However, she also saw the power of human being to arise from a devastated land after defeat in the war. She believes that people can recover from the disaster of Tohoku earth quake as well.

Exhibition view of Yoko Ono "I want you to remember me" at  Gallery 360 degree .

A large Japanese Calligraphy was displayed in the gallery too. It was drawn by a black paint on a canvas, instead of traditional sumi on paper. It is like a poem connecting the word like "World, wish, east, south, west, north, love, hope, dream, love, near, far, people, spring, summer, autumn, winter..."

Close up look of the artwork by Yoko Ono.

All of the sales of these Yoko Ono's artwork will be donated to the Tohoku earthquake victims. If you are interested in, please contact the gallery below.

http://www.360.co.jp/e/about.html

Yoko Ono's signature and the date, December 7th, 2011.

Yoko Ono in front of her work at Gallery 360 degree .

text by Rasa Tsuda

When I entered the gallery, this large sculpture (image above) was facing straight toward me. A large skull with pig tails is holding another golden baby-like skeleton. And they are set on a red bridge. The "Bridge" was a theme of the exhibition.


Painting by Keiichi Tanaami at NANZUKA UNDERGROUND, Shirokane, Tokyo.

[Exhibition description from the gallery]

Exhibition view of "Dividing Bridge" at NANZUKA UNDERGROUND, Shirokane, Tokyo.

 The derogatory term "riverbed beggars" was also commonplace, and deeply related to the expansion of the theater. The space beneath the bridge was believed to belong to another world, separate from reality, an alien world removed from every order, system and institution. Eerie, dubious freak show huts lined the banks, exposing the underbelly of society with sideshow attractions featuring the Long Neck Woman, snake ladies, dwarves and other "freaks" bustling in the dark. That strange space covered by the bridge as its roof was also a spot for hiding dead bodies and a secret gathering place for prostitutes. Brooding lovers, as an extreme breakup at the end of much languish, would throw themselves from bridge railings in miserable double suicides. No matter how you look at it, death is strongly related to and is a distinct feature of bridges in Japan." 

*NANZUKA UNDERGROUND placed in Shirokane will close in Dec 2011 and moving back the main gallery to NANZUKA AGENDA in Shibuya. The gallery name will be simply NANZUKA.

Tatzu Nishi "Keihan Line Mega Guide Map" 2011

German-based Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi holds his debut exhibition in Kansai region. The show is a part of the art festival which is addressing the theme of "Railway and Travel" and featuring exhibitions, talk and performance events at multi-venues on Keihan railway line. Tatzu Nishi was chosen as a main artist of the festival, at the same time he has curated exhibitions and events by himself. Guest artists are two manga artists, Yuichi Yokoyama, Shiriagari Kotobuki and performers, contact Gonzo, Jecko Siompo, Kim Ito and Fuyuki Yamakawa. Here let us share with you a report of two main exhibitions from the art festival "Nishino Travelers - What's our destination?".

Tatzu Nishi "Untitled" 2011

Meanwhile Tatzu Nishi exhibition is held at Art Area B1 which is a multipurpose space located in Naniwabashi underground station. Tatzu Nishi is widely known for his large-scale outdoor installation which have involved the building of rooms around public monuments or architectural elements. In this indoor exhibition, his site-specific approach and mix-up of private and public are still powerfully used for the works such as "Keihan Line Mega Guide Map" or "Internet cafe".

Kito Kengo "flimsy royal" 2007, Courtesy of the artist, photo: Kazuo Fukunaga

Kito Kengo "royal (polyhedron)" 2009 [left], "untitled(scarves)" 2011[right], Courtesy of the artist, photo: Kazuo Fukunaga

Golden booth filled with extremely vivid light and colors is composed by Kito Kengo. His work has a power to convey some kind of sensory overload to visitors. Kaneuji Teppei uses daily commodities as medium of expression. It becomes a pleasure also for us to reveal hidden beauty in the ordinal objects.

Kaneuji Teppei "Model of Something #2" 2011, Courtesy of the artist, photo: Kazuo Fukunaga

Kaneuji Teppei "Blank Map" 2011, Courtesy of the artist, photo: Kazuo Fukunaga

Next three artists present their works in the dark. exonemo is evolving various methods to expose phenomena happened between information technology and users. In "Got, Exists.", a display keeps showing fast scrolling twitter time-line with replacing the text GOD with GOT.

exonemo "Got, Exists." 2009／2010, Courtesy of the artist, photo: Kazuo Fukunaga

Kuwakubo Ryota "The Tenth Sentiment" 2011, Courtesy of the artist, photo: Kazuo Fukunaga

Kuwakubo Ryota's work attracted much attention from visitors. This installation takes 13 minutes to complete, but no one left the booth until it finished. One small modeltrain and LED light generate the images enfolding us all in the room. Maybe this work is totally new and never done before installation.

Kido Junko "closer" 2011 ii. Sound of Silence #2, Courtesy of the artist, photo: Kazuo Fukunaga

What Kido Junko wants to show us is something formless such as moving wind, shadows appeared in the dark and light through glass or water. She devises the method of describing those "sign" or "atmosphere" in her works. Handa Masanori is another artist who is exploring diverse modes of expression. He exhibits tiles which are geometrically laid out and covered in buttermilk.


Handa Msanori "Green silhouette" 2011, Courtesy of the artist, photo: Kazuo Fukunaga

Museum building was designed by Argentine architect César Pelli. Most of the facilities were installed underground, however, only the entrance is exposed outside. Wing shaped steel frames become a landmark of the riverside area. [left] paramodel's work is about to spread over the exhibition title board. [right]

text by Natsuki Niimi

Exhibition Info
Date: Oct 4 - Dec 11, 2011
Place: The National Museum of Art, Osaka
Address: 4-2-55 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan