. art spot・

Jean-Michel Basquiat @ the Musee D'art Moderne De La Ville De Paris (closed)

2011-02-07T14:00:00.026+09:00

This may be a bit of a tease, since the show has been closed for a week now, but hopefully some of you were lucky enough to catch the Basquiat show in Paris. C'était fantastique!

For those of you less familiar, Basquiat was a Brooklyn-born, boho-raised grafitti/street-artist/noise-musician/lady-killer who later went on to show at the Gagosian empire (Los Angeles, to be exact), be the first African-American to be shown at the Whitney Biennial, and become best friends with none other than Andy Warhol himself. He was also good friends with Kieth Haring, artist/director Julian Schnabel, and even had an affair with Madonna at one point. He was fluent in Spanish, French, Creole as well as English, and had a knack for re-interpreting all of his earlier influences (which included art history, classical music, and bebop) into extraordinarily sophisticated scrawled images that practically scream out to you like a rebellious child (who just happens to have a razor-sharp, precocious mind). His career peaked at 25, and he passed away just 2 years later from drug overdose. In his lifetime, he produced over 1,000 paintings and another 1,000 drawings. His images carry an extraordinary power.

I mean, he was the real deal here, guys. Nowadaways, hipsters are mostly just rich kids with alternative fashion sense (not to hate, but just to be blunt/critical) - but Basquiat barely ate, couch-surfed, and started his "art career" by graffitti-ing poetry across SoHo with his trademark, "SAMO" -short for "Same Old Shit". Even his life story is poetic; in an act of wanting to become a famous artist, he found that the only way to paint was to scrounge around for abandoned doors and windows on the street, which were comparable in size to the canvases which he could not afford to buy on his own. He survived this way purely out of his will to be independent, until his career skyrocketed and he became the epicenter of the New York party scene in the 80s. His parents lived a train ride away, but he refused to go back home after running away at age 17. Basquiat was the ultimate post-modernist; he defined being glam hipster; he made neo-expressionism.

But, not to gush on for too long about the artist - here are a few preview images from the MAM site.

Revue: This retrospective was breathtaking. There were so many works that I almost got lost among them. There honestly was not one I disliked. It was wonderful that the exhibition contained so many pieces, but there were moments when I felt the works were a bit crowded - it was almost like too much a good thing. But overall, it really was delightful to see so many at once! Up until now, I only had the chance to see 1 or 2 works at a time, at best, at auction previews. Mind you, each one of these paintings would bring home millions of dollars nowaways. Bottom line: this show was truly a treat and I congratulate those who curated the show together for recognizing this modern master.

Extra: A beautiful film by Tamra Davis titled, "Basquiat: the Radiant Child" - highly recommended. There also is a film by Julian Schnabel which I have yet to see, titled, simply, "Basquiat".

KAWS: "Companion (Passing Through)" - up until June 5 2011 (Ridgefield, CT)

2011-02-07T09:23:00.018+09:00

So, a few weekends ago I trekked up to the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art. Founded by private collector Larry Aldrich in 1964, this country-house-turned-private-museum is located in scenic (=read: REMOTE) Connecticut and is one of America's oldest institutions devoted to modern and contemporary art. After Aldrich's passing, the institution continued on but unfortunately had to sell its original collection to help fund all of the maintenance costs. Now, the museum curates top-notch temporary exhibitions mainly focused on contemporary American artists.

I went because major artist KAWS recently installed his iconic "Companion" sculpture (recently shown in Hong Kong) in the sculpture garden. He was also expected to attend for an informal "meet the artist" event.

Well, it ended up being a hit.

People were swarming Brian Donnelley (ie, KAWS) every minute. Not to be snooty, but I certainly didn't expect that many hipsters/CT families to know who KAWS was, much less come out in knee-deep snow to see. (Then again, they probably are more used to it than New Yorkers....)

Anyways, the sculpture looked awesome! Though so melancholy in CT! When this exact sculpture was shown in Hong Kong, it was much more mysterious looking. It was almost refreshing to remember that everything we see is colored by its context.

Revue: the museum is definitely worth a cute little day trip outside NYC (much like the Storm King art center is). The sculpture was also fun to see, but it IS just one piece. Def go if you have a car and a free afternoon - otherwise, you may want to wait for his upcoming solo shows in LA.

Extra: makin' of video via SlamxHype.

Anri Sala @ Musee de Art Contemporain - up until April 25! (Montreal)

2011-02-05T13:38:00.018+09:00

One trip I wouldn't recommend is going to Montreal in February. However, I was lucky enough to see a solo exhibition by Anri Sala that was absolutely breathtaking that made every slippery, snowy step worth it.

The artist is most well known for his brilliant video works. This exhibition starts off with bang (literally - with drumming), as it beings with one of his earlier works, "Answer Me" (2008), one of his most highly acclaimed films (clip available via Hauser & Wirth). This video focuses on a near-maniacal drumming from a young man in a broken relationship; his lover, sitting by the window, softly asks, "answer me....answer me...ANSWER ME! (etc.)". It's incredibly haunting and beautiful. Behind the screening wall, there is a path of drums with suspended drumsticks that quietly echo the beat of the drum at the command of the video's audio. Gorgeous.

The next room showed a few C-prints and a light installation, and more of the drums. The five prints, with palm trees, dark exposure and sparks of light, seemed very LA to me - gritty, pretty, but somehow leaving me wondering what else the artist was thinking.

Much to my happiness, what I was looking for was in the next room. Another older work blew me away - see above, an image of "Title Suspended" (2008), a kinetic sculpture. The piece begins (if you are lucky) with a view of two resin hands, softly covered by blue medical gloves. The hands slowly rotate towards the viewer with incredibly drawn out motions, so that at first glance they don't seem to move, yet, by an invisible force, they appear differently at every instance. And, suddenly, it becomes apparent that the hands are each missing the last three fingers, and it is precisely this tease between kinetic activity, and the absence of physical presence, that makes this work jarringly beautiful.

Revue: Cerebral, physical, emotional, this show was a masterpiece. Do go see it if the chance comes around - it's only a 1 hour flight away from New York.

Extra reading: the preview piece of the musee's magazine.

Happy Lunar New Year - a whole year of art to catch up on!

2011-02-05T12:50:00.003+09:00

Hello everyone!

In a bout of determination and stubbornness (and admittedly, some nice encouragement from friends!) I have decided it's time to make a comeback. Not for any other reason than, ART IS WORTH IT. Worth what, exactly, you ask? Well, time, devotion, analysis, and more than just promotion or social butterflying about art.

To indulge in a little bit in selfishness, this has been a whirlwind year of travelling across the globe (to try and track back, there was Tokyo, India, Paris, Tokyo again, Paris again, Versailles, Rome, Miami, the Ukraine, LA, SF, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo again, LA again, Connecticut -the scariest by far-, Montreal, etc.) and a number of exhibition sightings (and some of the most incredible fancy openings!) along the way. It has been incredible ride, and I have thought about sharing many a time. Sadly, though, the logistics of trying to pull all of these trips together was just so overwhelming that I pushed many things aside.

While this may not be the most direct way to re-connect with my friends, I do think it's perhaps one of the most meaningful - that is, I feel like sharing my thoughts about things that I am passionate about is perhaps that only way to tell you what's happening with me, beyond jetlag and e-mail flurries. And well, at the end of the day, with all of the travelling and staying in business hotels, I miss all of this and getting comments from you.

So from here on out, art spot is a SECRET blog - invite only.

Cheers to all you VIPs who kept me on your Google Reader feed.

xo
art spot

Frank Brunnner @ Kathleen Cullen Fine Art - up until May 20! (New York)

2010-04-26T00:18:00.004+09:00

Hello my loves,

Life has been charging ahead at full speed! My new job is all-consuming, although I can't really complain because it's been a really wonderful learning experience...it's normal to have new-job anxieties though, right?

Anyways, through my new gig I discovered this fantastic gallery in Chelsea called Kathleen Cullen Fine Arts. It's a small, intimate space, run mainly by Kathleen herself. She is a BUNDLE OF FUN and so sincerely nice, it makes you fall a little bit back in love with a art world again. Plus, she has a GREAT roster of artists, and her stories about discovering them are pretty fascinating.

Up now is work by Frank Brunner, a Norwegian painter:

Brunner works in a number of different series: pillows (exploding!), suitcases, and trees. It sounds bizarre, as the color palette is so dark and serious-looking, despite the fact that those particular subjects seem to have no hugely significant position within the politics of society...but Brunner takes a step back from the hyper-politicized, relevant-to-the-NOW contemporary art scene, and instead offers us an incredibly painterly view of a number of objects in our lives, to which we constantly return. The idea of "eternal" return, as explored by Nietzsche (who proposed, if you can forgive my overly-simplistic interpretation,) was, that if each of our experiences are unique, then the gravity of every situation can only have meaning that one time. The flip side is to say that if we have return, then everything is weightless. Brunner's paintings seem to address both ideas; the darkness of the overall mood signifies the importance of that "one and only chance!" idea, whereas the way in which the feathers spray out with carelessnes, the way the suitcases remind us of how every location is essentially contemplative state.

Really lovely.

Do check it out!

NEW YORK HERE WE GO!

2010-03-17T22:01:00.000+09:00

There could hardly be more going on in the art world, it seems, and I've been officially swept up.

The Whitney Biennial 2010

Some don't like it, but I sure did.
Spent a lovely Saturday afternoon wandering the galleries. I LOVED loved loved this car/video/ameri-nostalgia piece, as well as another series of nude photos of an artist inside the Whitney with gold sparkly things. (Vague enough, for you?)

movin' on --
a report on the art fairs to come SOON, both here AND in Tokyo. (yes, I was in both locales in the last week.)

Cheers!

HELLOOOOOOO MY LOVES!

2010-02-25T02:07:00.003+09:00

Hello my darlings,

I am so sorry for having disappeared on the spot! (HA! wordplay. See, I'm back!)

The reason for my hiatus? I took the most lovely 2 week vacation in the Bay Area and got completely lost in the sunshine - and I'm now back in the blustery cold of NYC, working and getting pumped up for the Armory Show next week. There's tons of great stuff to update y'all on soon, but for now, check out the article I wrote for SHIFT magazine, on behalf of AZITO.

The pic is just a sneak peak...link on over for the full article.

Group Show @ Mori Yu Gallery - up until Feb. 13! (Tokyo)

2010-02-01T00:43:00.009+09:00

Hallo there!

Well well, I hope you all are enjoying a lovely weekend!

I'm currently working on a translation for AZITO Online Gallery about an art unit represented by Mori Yu Gallery. I just went to the gallery last week for an opening and it was just so fun that I have to share.

Mori Yu Gallery has two locations (Kyoto and Tokyo - that ain't bad!). The Tokyo gallery is currently presenting a group show combining 6 artists - and each one works in very, very different directions. I only wish there were more images available online!!! (Alas.)

The two works posted here are by Nishimatsu Koji. At first glance, the face-ish-looking piece looks like it might be just any ol' zoomed up or photoshop-ed image, but in fact, it's actually composed of tiny, hand-painted repetitions of the smiley-faced motif you see in the above painting. It's all rather adorable and delightfully rendered.

Revue: The show overall was schweet! And it's totally worth the trek. DO make a point to talk to the gallery people there. They are so incredibly sweet, knowledgable and uber resourceful, and I was quite blown away by their friendliness.

My favorite artist of the show was Kuroda Aki, but unfortunately I couldn't find any decent images of his works online. He is a Japanese artist who has been living for some time now in Paris. Kuroda's works have such beautiful, strong compositions, and what I like about them is their modern (not post-mod) feel. I just wanted to look and look and think. I'll have to find some images of his works for y'all soon. In the mean time, have a good night! *yawn*

[imgs via - 1. boeboe by Nishimatsu Koji, 2009, acrylic on canvas from tabloid, 2. work by nishimatsu koji, from mori yu gallery]

G-Tokyo 2010 @ Mori Tower - only from Jan. 30-31 (Tokyo)

2010-01-30T00:44:00.011+09:00

GUYS, GUYS, GUYS!!

Here's the report from G|Tokyo 2010 Art Fair in Roppongi: it was totally bitchin'. Like, awesome. I literally only had enough time to run through the galleries once since I was on shift, but here is a preview of what I saw...

From Tomio Koyama Gallery, "Signal" by Makoto Saito, oil on canvas, 2009

Fromn hiromiyoshii gallery, "Stir of Universe" by Takehito Koganezawa, 2006 DVD and mirror ball and fan

From Mizuma Art Gallery, "Jiyuukenkyuu" by Akira Yamaguchi, pen, watercolor and ink on paper, 2008

From Wako Works of Art, "15.3.08" by Gerhard Richter, lacquer on photograph

From Taka Ishii Gallery, "Regen/Rain" by Thomas Demand, super 16mm film, loop 6min, stereo

Revue: Wow, this really felt like the best of the best today. Every booth has something incredible to offer. I'm definitely going again this weekend. You should, too!

[all imgs from here]

Group Show @ Gallery Side 2 - up until Feb. 6! (Tokyo)

2010-01-28T01:48:00.007+09:00

Hello friends,

Well, it's 2:21am in Tokyo and my eyes are just about to close, but I figured I should mentioned that about 20 steps away from Take Ninagawa Gallery is Gallery Side 2 - also on the Favorites list. They are currently holding a group show with works by Peter McDonald, Yuko Murata, Takeo Hanazawa and Yusuke Saito.

Revue: If you're in the area, it's worth going out to see. I enjoyed the works by Peter McDonald, for his odd color combinations and cute figurative blobs. But otherwise, this show probably isn't the one.

This gallery will, however, be showing at G Tokyo 2010 art fair on Friday...so I can't wait to see what they have in store for us there!!

[img by Peter McDonald, Rock Gallery, 2008, from Gallery Side 2]

Takehisa Yumeji @ Mitsukoshi Gallery - up until Feb. 1! (Tokyo)

2010-01-26T10:53:00.030+09:00

Hello lovelies!

Yesterday I dropped by Mitsukoshi Gallery for the new Takehisa Yumeji exhibition. This man's work is absolutely incredible, but unfortunately his artwork rarely makes it out of Japan unless it's being printed in textbooks on early twentieth century Japanese art and/or graphic design. I am gushing a little here, but really, this man is FABULOUS! Ok, ok, so his works aren't visually challenging, in the same way that his contemporaries like Marcel Duchamp or Many Ray might have been, but this man wasn't attempting to be part of the "Fine Art" realm in the same way as they were.

Born in 1884 and living just until 1934, Takehisa Yumeji was an illustrator, designer, painter, poet, and a Japanese bon vivante, travelling all over the continental US and Europe to sketch sketch sketch. Drawing mainly in the Japanese genre of "bijinga (dt: "beautiful ladies", 美人画)", Yumeji become so famous for his distinct style that his works became known as "Yumeji-style Ladies". Among his vast collection of Japanese darlings in print, screen, painting, and sketch media, his ouvre also includes a number of graphic design work, including magazine and book covers, children's books, and corporate advertisements. He epitomizes "Taisho modern" and "Taisho Romantic".

This show at Mitsukoshi was a general survey of his work.

Revue: There really is something lovely about the early 1910-1920's aesthetic in Japan, and I found myself quite satisfied by the number of pieces shown there. I just love the Taisho period (1912-1926) look! Around this time, (and in part, thanks to Yumeji,) Japanese illustrations acquired a kind of sketchier approach than in the past, and Yumeji beautifully captures a new way of expressing the sensuality of women - there is a warmer look to them, than say, a bijinga print from the Edo period (1603 - 1868).

Below is a print of the third princess in the Tale of Genji by Harunobu, the "father" of the Japanese bijinga genre and the first to create color woodblock prints. This particular print was from 1724-1770 - which is almost 300 years before Yumeji! But I'm bringing it up here as a reference point for the evolution of female beauty in Japan.

You can see that Yumeji has softened the sleek, elongated lines of the earlier print and favors wobblier curves and more gradations and shading (this is also much easier to achieve in painting than in woodblock print, like Harunobu was using). Also, Yumeji has taken the female figure (who, obviously, is not the third princess of Genji, judging by the simple pattern of her kimono) out of a stage-like set up and draws the subject in more intimately. Seeing her so close up, she really beings to feel tangible.

Key points of "Yumeji-style Ladies" are the tiny pouted lips, the large doe-eyes, and the overall flushed look. With the turn of the 20th century, there arose a new social concept called the "modern girl" in Japan (kind of like a flapper in America. Read Tanizaki Junichiro's Naomi if you haven't already!). These modern girls were bold and got what they wanted; wearing flashier, fashionable clothes and exuding sexuality in ways like never before. Yumeji's not exactly drawing these new modern girls, but you can see that he is capturing a newfound sense of femininity that was inspired by the changes that came with the modern girls. Being a female is no longer about maintaining a cool-as-a-cucumber elegance like Harunobu depicted; the turn of the 20th century seems to have brought about valuing the soft loveliness of lady-dom and bringing out all sides femininity (even sitting around at home with your cat and having others see your hair a little dissheleved).

Cute, right? But I have to admit, my favorite Yumeji works aren't his ladies, but are his graphic designs and children's books.

If you are running low on cute mugs, tape, excessive cuteness, etc., then hit up the Yumeji online shop.

[imgs: 1. Hanabi, 1924, 2. Woman, late 1920-1930s, 3. Berlin Park, ca. 1933, 4. Self-Portrait, late 1920s-1930s, all from Yumeji Art Museum, 5. Suzuki Harunobu, The Tale of Genji: The Third Princess, 1724-1770, color woodblock print found at Wallerstein], 6. Female at night in spring, ca. 1927, from Yumeji Art Museum, 7. Takehisa children's illustration from cocollier]

Yoriko Kita @ Take Ninagawa Gallery - up until Feb. 6! (Tokyo)

2010-01-23T22:21:00.007+09:00

The other day I gallery-hopped through Azabu-juban with a friend. Here's a peek at what's going on at Take Ninagawa, one of the galleries listed on the "Favorites" group.

Revue: There's something incredibly satisfying about soft look of charcoal on canvas, and with no primer on the unmounted or framed material, I found that the interwoven threads hang beautifully off the edges of Kita's new works. These delicate these pieces have a beautifully light texture, yet the canvas medium gives them a little more "oomph" than paper sketch. Not to mention the amount the detail that went into creating these intricate landscapes.

The show space is relatively small, with only about 10 or so works. However, it was a pleasant collection of works and I'd recommend seeing it. The gallerist is also a very lovely person! She's just opened the gallery in December 2007 after showing at NADA Art Fair in Miami and is a very chill person. Have a chat.

Also, take a look at this beautifully written piece on the show.

[img via Kalons]

"FUTURE PRIMITIVE" @ Ma2 Gallery - up until Feb. 13! (Tokyo)

2010-01-23T21:36:00.007+09:00

Here's another catch-up post! A few days ago I checked out works by Sawako Tanizawa and Akira Ikezoe at Ma2 gallery. Here's a link to the press release for this show! Here are a couple shots from my cam:

Revue: I really enjoyed the feather and acrylic-nail works by Sawako Tanizawa! (See "offering" and "feather" series for more examples on the artist web site). Born in 1982, Tanizawa studied at the Royal College of Art in London. These new works address the idea that the convenience of the digital age may, in fact, be impoverishing our experiences as human beings as we become increasingly depending on codes and signals.

While I enjoyed the works, I think these works aren't the best examples of the artist's technique. Perhaps it's an archaic expectation in our post-modern world, but I really appreciate artworks with solid technique. Not that every piece I see needs to be crafted; but at least for these works I wished the the feather and acrylic nail mediums were pushed to new heights. I'm looking forward to seeing where this artist goes in the future...

[FYI - the title for feather works roughly translate to "Emergent Surface or Window" and the acrylic pieces translate to "No matter how far I go, the same again"]

"DOMANI: Art of Tomorrow" @ National Art Center, up until Jan. 24! (Tokyo)

2010-01-23T10:30:00.011+09:00

Along with Renior, the National Art Center in Roppongi is also showing a large-scale government/media-sponsored show: the "DOMANI: Art of Tomorrow" exhibition. This show is the 12th presentation of works by Japanese artists who were selected by the Agency of Cultural Affairs for the highly selective Japanese Government Overseas Study Programme for Artists. 12 artist were featured in this installment with over 100 pieces in total.

Revue: Well, for a show about the future of art, I find it curious that the youngest artist was over 35. Not to be age-ist, but what about all of these other great emerging artists in their 20s and teens? Not to say that 35 is old! I mean, being born in 1942 doesn't have to qualify someone as "old". But unfortunately I didn't find that the works by these 35-and-older artists were presenting fresh perspectives, let alone a view of "Japanese art of the future".

Except, perhaps, for Yasuda Sachigusa (featured above. And yes, she is 35-ish.). By digitally collaging hundreds of aerial photographs, Yasuda is able to create a fishbowl perspective from a bird's eye view (and yes, that's a whole lot of animal analogies). The biggest and my personal favorite of these pieces was the view of Manhattan. The central perspective was set right above Columbus Circle (oh, the memories!) and overlooked Central Park (oh, the great wilderness!) Needless to say, "Empire State of Mind" started playing in my head and it's a shame I can't find it in a large size. It's used for the flyer image above.

Take a look here and here to view works by the other 11 artists. What do you think?

[imgs from Base Gallery. 1. Flying #28, 2006, digital photo, 2. Flying #25, 2007, digital photograph.]

Kanako Sasaki on AZITO Gallery & SHIFT Magazine - purchase now!

2010-01-22T23:04:00.010+09:00

Happy Friday, y'all!

I wrote a short clip about Kanako Sasaki's photo series, "Walking in the Jungle", for AZITO Online Gallery of Japanese Contemporary Art, and it's also going to be featured on SHIFT Magazine. Check it out!

Kanako Sasaki (featured above) is a young photographer producing images that linger somewhere in between nostalgia and fantasy. Interlacing the fictitious narratives with historical sites, events, as well as personal memory, this photo series blurs the boundaries of time and narrative. For example, the above image, titled "the Depth", questions the basic formula of depth of a falling object = time. If we are looking at a falling object, are we therefore looking at time itself?

It's a pretty lovely series.

The best part is that all of the works posted on AZITO are available for purchase online! AZITO will arrange the shipping from Japan to your doorstep and you can pay with PayPal or send an e-mail to the Prez. I do their translations from J-E so here's a little tip - there will be more AZITO/SHIFT collabs in the future. Woohoo!

G-Tokyo 2010 @ Mori Tower - only from Jan. 30-31 (Tokyo)

2010-01-22T01:46:00.008+09:00

Hello all!

G-Tokyo 2010 is a new art fair with a fresh concept: to round up a highly-exclusive selection of galleries and create a platform for international collectors and museums to reconsider what contemporary art is today - not to mention, to also try and breathe some life into the art market once again. There are only 15 galleries chosen for this event, but let's just say that these are some of the biggest and the baddest in Japan. I am also happy to announce that yours truly will be helping out at the opening reception on the 29th! See you there?

Take a gander. I will re-post once the press photos are up.

HOO.RAY!

Asae Soya @ Shiseido Art Gallery - up until Jan. 31! (Tokyo)

2010-01-22T01:09:00.010+09:00

Shiseido Art Gallery first opened its corporate gallery doors in 1919 and has since been a major site for exhibiting artworks by accomplished young artists. This upcoming 3-month series of exhibitions presents works by the recipients of their "art egg" awards.

Asae Soya was born in 1974 in Japan and received her Ph.D. in Oil Painting at Tokyo University of Fine Arts in 2006. She has exhibited internationally and to great acclaim.

Revue: This new installation was incredible. The gallery space is setup in the basement of the Shiseido Ginza building and the installation extended all the way up the staircase. Upon entering the space, the viewer is immersed immersed in this colorful world of painted plastic cutouts and mobiles. According to the gallery, this show sprung from the idea of visualizing "the resonance of color". This notion has been exquisitely captured in the high-energy fluorescent colors climbing the walls, panning the floors...really, a thrilling show. Highly recommended; if not for the art tiself, the chance to put on "shoe covers" and sliding around inside the installation!

[img of artist and installation from the artist's website]

Renoir @ National Arts Center - up until Apr. 5! (Tokyo)

2010-01-19T23:08:00.028+09:00

Fancy schmancy! I attended my very first museum opening in Tokyo yesterday. There were a lot of corporate CEOs and a princess in attendance (holy moly!). Finger foods and wine mid-day and everything. How chic! I, of course, wore my recently acquired hipster-geek glasses and stuck out like a sore thumb in kawaii-central, save for the fact that I went with my mother-dear.

Anyway this show is majorly hyped here in Tokyo and the ads for it are plastered all over the subway stations. Are you a Renoir fan? Personally, I'm not. (Give me Manet or Cezanne any day.) HOWEVER, I thoroughly enjoyed myself at the opening and it was interesting to recognize that in Tokyo, fancy openings happen mid-day or early on in the evening (NOT at night), as people need to get home and on with their lives. Apparently. It's certainly a different art culture than New York New York.

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's your art spot preview!

Revue: This show featured roughly 80 or so works from prestigious museums and collections all over the world, including La Musee D'Orsay and the POLA museum in Japan. In all honesty, I thought it was pretty good although not the most impressive collection of Reniors. But, if you like Renoir, French-themed museum gifts and museum dates, this will do the trick!

Renoir has been made famous for his light pastel palette, his voluptuous figures and intimate portraits. There were paintings like those a plenty. The show also featured a couple of bronze sculptures too, which I had never seen before. They were much more interesting than the paintings, in my opinion.

Mom's reaction: "OK I know you don't like him, but isn't it impressive that he has such a major retrospective with pieces from around the world?" And, well, yes! Do go if you're a fan. But don't expect too much.

1. Flyer image from via Renoir 2010, 2. Girl with Lace Hat, 1891, POLA museum, 3. Bourgeois Dancers painted 1883, from the MFA Boston, 4. Portrait, 1876, National Gallery in DC, 5. Anemone, ca. 1883-1890, POLA Museum

It's dreaded "no-art Monday" in Tokyo...

2010-01-18T16:26:00.023+09:00

...so here's the link to the new Map & Calendar for Art Triangle Roppongi! Wahoo!

(A little jpeg preview)

For those of you who haven't quite gotten around to crossin' the pond and shimmeying on down to Tokyo, Roppongi is a (relatively) new hotspot area in Tokyo with lots of international business offices, a "distinct" bar/club scene...and best of all, some great architecture in the form of thrilling new art museums & galleries, including:

1. The Mori Art Museum,

2. The Suntory Museum of Art, in Tokyo Midtown,

3. The National Arts Center, Tokyo,

4. and 21_21 Design Site.
(Okay, the fourth isn't actually included in the "triangle", but it's right next to Suntory; was designed by Tadao Ando; and is rather kickass overall.)

So, it's Monday. Time to get revved up for art-filled Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, etc.! Hope you have a great start to the week - cheers!

[imgs via: 1. panoramio , 2. Japan Hotels, 3. & 4. Saatchi Online TV & Magazine, review by the ever-awesome Ashley Rawlings.]

Lotte Lyon @ Aoyama | Meguro - up until Feb. 13! (Tokyo)

2010-01-18T02:14:00.019+09:00

I had the most lovely time at Aoyama Meguro gallery in Nakameguro, which I found off of the recommended "Favorites" list - a mini-gallery listing available at select Tokyo galleries.

Despite it being a brisk walk from the station, this gallery was delightfully easy to find since it's on the first floor and has VERY LARGE GLASS WINDOWS. Big plus!

The show featured new works by the Austrian artist; one sculpture and 2 photo series. In the spirit of saving the biggest for last, here's bits and pieces from the press release discussing the photographs:

...also the other pieces in this exhibition, two series of photographs, deal with the issues of scaling and variation of size. In one series, Lyon set up ordinary items that she had purchased in Tokyo and photographed them. As a result, the photographed objects present new views of their own, appearing as sculptural volumes without revealing to the viewer what they really are, since they have lost their original colors and wholeness. The other series is about an office chair Lyon found in her studio in Tokyo, which had lost one of its casters. The artist decided to employ it as an ideal object for her new work, following her artistic experiments in recent years to take various things out of their usual contexts by disabling their functions.

All these new works emerged from the artist's participation in the Austrian government's residency program in Tokyo from August 2009 to January 2010.

REVUE: Pretty neat. Lyon cuts out a unique little nook of contemporary art, and I enjoyed this most in her photo series. She brings a peculiar sense of vivacity out of the well-positioned juxtapositions of the objects. Through Lyon's lens, odd dimensions begin to appear from the photographs of folded origami paper, and a playful kinetic energy is born out the IKEA-ish swivel chair that is suspended and/or twerkin' it between a desk and a bed.

Of course, I also enjoyed the plywood "1:2" sculpture - the centerpiece and namesake of the show - and it's a shame I can't find it or the sketches online to share with y'all. You'll just have to see it for yourself! This work was inspired by the efficiency of the gallery's original location, ie, a Tokyo-compact apartment. Lyon decided to "recreate" both that gallery space AND the iconic Burbery check pattern of the sculptures from her first Japan debut show in the new 1:2 sculpture, but removes the gallery function from the piece. Yep, you guessed it - the new artwork is configured on a reduced scale, of well, guess how many?

Lyon's artworks are quite interesting, and rather refreshing in their brainy-minimalism-meets-a-better-sense-of-humor viewpoint. She's also currently showing in a couple other locations in Tokyo:

■ 1LDK ＋ Lotte Lyon
2010.1.16.sat - 2.7.sun 12:00-21:00
Tel：03-3780-1645
http://www.idland.jp/1ldk/
1-8-28 Kami Meguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-0051 Suzuka apartment 1-A

■ 35.64474 139.70057 ＋ Lotte Lyon & Christian Hutzinger
2010.1.16.sat - 2.6.sat
*1.16 (Sat) 1.23 (Sat) 1.30 (Sat) 2.6 (Sat) 14:00-18:00
and also by appointment.

■ 35.64474 139.70057
1-5-10 Naka-Meguro Mansion roof top, Kamimeguro , Meguro-ku, Tokyo
http://twitter.com/lat_longr@utrecht.jp

Also, check out Lotte Lyon's site!

Finally, the uber cool gallerist there also informed me of a totally sweet art fair coming up. Will report on it soon. Think: ART INVADES CORPORATE TOKYO...FIST PUMP!

*top image from here.

Van Cleef & Arpels @ Mori Arts Center Gallery (Tokyo) - closed

2010-01-18T00:36:00.014+09:00

OMIGOD OMIGOD OMIGOD. I totally lucked out this afternoon when a friend invited me to see Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry show in the Roppongi Hills gallery (mentioned here). I was pretty much sittin' in pjs after ballet class at the time, but you'd better believe I SPRUNG to the door. I apologize that the show's all done, but for Marilyn's sake and for all other girls (and boys) who love sparkly pretty things, here is a taste of royalty:

Van Cleef & Arpels Fée Libellule (Dragonfly fairy) clip (1944) - the inspiration for the show's name, "The Spirit of Beauty." Via Fashion.at.

Van Cleef & Arpels, THE Grace Kelly Tiara worn by Princess Grace on her daughter Princess Caroline's wedding in 1978. Via Korea Times.

It looked a little somethin' like this, apparently:
Via smaggle.

Let's not forget the "mystery setting" pieces, which was developed and patented by Van Cleef & Arpels throughout the 1920-30s. It's a setting that allows for the gemstones to be set without the prongs to show. Gorgeous. Apparently it was shown also in an earlier show, according to the Korea Times.

But all new to this show was the totally gawk-worthy, crazy-cool exhibition design by Patrick Jouin. Images via VOGUE Paris and Style Moderne.

REVUE: If it wasn't obvious, I loved the show. (Like, squeeling and drooling loved it. Gross.) The exhibition designs were stunning and the pieces were, without a doubt, incredible. There were rooms towards the end with 3D holograms of the jewels, light-up nooks of different celebrities (Princess Grace, Jackie Kennedy, etc.) and bubbles and branches and light orbs to hold the jewels. RAD.

If you want to look at more pieces or hear a sexy French accent, you can see a range of videos, including the exhibition designer discussing his concept, among others on the VC&A link and hit "Backstage". Here's a video of the jewels in the making from the Van Cleef & Arpels site and also shown at the end of the exhibit.

Also, Van Cleef appears to have launched a perfume without my knowing. SWOON.

A Moment for Haiti (Global)

2010-01-15T10:30:00.006+09:00

I am utterly stunned to hear about the earthquake in Haiti. Aid groups report an estimated death toll of up to 50,000; more who are displaced and homeless; and of the millions (including a dear friend) affected by this disaster. It just breaks my heart. The devastation is surmounting as medical supplies, clean water, and basic facilities like shelters are becoming scarce. I feel so far away here in Tokyo, but one is never too far to extend a hand -- I learned that when living in New York during 9/11. I was so touched to hear people all over the world send whatever they could, donate blood, help clean up...and now it's time for us to all step up once again.

So wherever you are in the world, please consider sending aid. It takes less than a minute. If you're in the USA, you can text "HAITI" to 90999 to donate $10 to Red Cross, or YELE to 505-505 to donate $5 to Wyclef Jean's charity. According to the New York Times and The Debonaire, $2 million has been donated via SMS text so far and that is just a start. If you are elsewhere, consider making a donation online:

American Red Cross
Doctors Without Borders
International Relief Fund
Oxfam
Unicef

or donate your Delta miles to send CARE workers overseas.

George Clooney is doin it.

More ways to help.

Angkor Wat @ Mitsukoshi Gallery - up until Jan. 18th! (Tokyo)

2010-01-13T20:40:00.014+09:00

Before any of you start suspecting that I write exclusively about modern/contemporary art, here's a little taste of a few centuries ago - Buddhist & Hindu sculpture from the Cambodian temple complex of Angkor Wat, now showing at Mitsukoshi department store's gallery space. (That's right, a department store gallery - more on that later.)

*Note: this 12-13th c. sandstone piece is part of the Guimet collection in Paris; it was the closest example I could find to the one exhibited from the National Museum of Cambodia.

In case you aren't familiar with Cambodian Buddhist art (I sure wasn't), here's a tad bit of history -- under King Srindravarman (thank you, Wikipedia!) the Angkor Wat temple complex shifted from Hindu to Buddhist, under the clever argument that Buddha himself was a Hindu. So currently, you'll see Hindu deities alongside bodhisattvas and Buddhas and lotus flowers abound.

My first thought upon looking at these Cambodian pieces was...wow, how different the lines are from Indian or East Asian Buddhist sculptures! For your reference, below is a semi-random sampling taken from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection in New York. (And I swear, I have seen them all!) Of course, these examples below are all from different centuries and mediums and countries, and in any case, it's just incorrect to try and strictly prescribe a visual code to a specific geographic location (like slenderer torso = East Asia)...but, isn't it amazing how wildly different the facial expressions and anatomical proportions are, especially in comparison to the Cambodian example above?

For the most part, the Cambodian works showed rounder, fuller faces with thicker lips and curvier torsos in comparison. How cool.

Revue: Man, I dig religious art. Period. It was definitely cool to see these works up close.

BUT - here's my rant - the curation of department store galleries is always problematic for me. First of all, it's run by a commercial space, and the museum shop is half the event. Ok, fine, that's standard for the space. What was different about this particular exhibit was that the first thing you see after walking in are flyers for "Cambodia tour trips" run by none other than the travel bureau agency right outside the entrance/exit. Plus there were cute, uniformed ladies with white gloves and more brochures at the end of the show. Furthermore, there were more people crowded around the sappy video documentary about helping out these Cambodian folks whose beautiful temples risk damage, etc. than most of the sculptures themselves. Ugh. I am 100% for art conservation and am all for wealthy contributing to the preservation of art...but it's twisted to (distractedly) look at works from the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries and then discuss those works as if they were representative of those countries today and their current needs and to go on tour trips just to confirm there existence in the present. Perhaps that's jumping the gun and drawing conclusions on behalf of these nice curators and the viewers alike, but dang, that travel agency bothered me. I wonder what Buddha thinks of it...perhaps he'd tell me to let it go?

Anyways hope this was a refresher re: pre-20th century art! Craving more? Take some virtual tours of past exhibits.

Motohiko Odani @ Maison Hermes - up until Mar. 28! (Tokyo)

2010-01-12T14:47:00.004+09:00

Oh excuse me, did I not gush yet about Motohiko Odani's solo show at Maison Hermes in Ginza? Oh! Well, it's fabulous stuff, friends!

Here's a brief intro I found on ARTiT mag:
"In his new work on exhibit at Le Forum, Odani attempts to visualize the movement of the air circling around the body, using human body image as medium. There exist a variety of movements surrounding our bodies – physical movements that cannot be visually recognized such as gravity and buoyancy, or spiritual phenomena such as qi (air) and aura that are emitted from within our bodies. For example, when the vector of gravity is altered, or when we succumb to the ecstasy of the mind and body, our bodies are released from normal gravity and become distorted beyond the current dimension. What Odani creates in "Hollow" is the afterimage of the human body that exists in this other dimension."

Revue: Truly stunning work in a gorgeously-lit space! GO SEE IT!

More info on the artist at Yamamoto Gendai gallery.

Merry Birds @ umu TVasahi / Roppongi Hills - up until Jan. 13! (Tokyo)

2010-01-12T14:04:00.008+09:00

So, I also dropped by the Merry opening last weekend - my very first art opening in Japan! Suffice to say it was a little different than ol' New Yawk.

As well as custom-made macaron tree branches, sushi hors d'oeuvres and what looked like hot tea, the show featured the artist/collab work of Merry at TV Asashi's event (ie, non-gallery) space, umu. Voila:

Revue: I don't know much about this artist/painter & manager/writer troupe, but I can't really say it's my style. Sure, I love bright colors and cute themes and visual excess. But...where's the irony? Where's the hint of jagged-tired-sarcastic-icky-but-REAL human perspective? What's the point of utopia if it can't handle the weight of all of our past wrongdoings? (Hmmm...am I jaded?)

Really, the pictures were adorable. And the exhibit also featured tent-installations with video projections of stars & yoga-esque music, etc. inside for a playful wonderful fantasy. The show was based on this concept:

"Here you are, infinite purest area...
The place anyone has no stress, just neutral.
Where can you find your favorite "tents"?
Don't have to haste, slowly...find "them" one-by-one that will make you feel neutral."

Perhaps I am one of those stress-ridden people, but I don't get how excess cuteness and idyllic poetry leads to neutrality. In fact, it makes me jittery & nauseous. (Oh gawd, I am one of those cynical beasts.) To me, this show was like liquid sugar sinking into my eyeballs. Ick. I'd MUCH prefer the work of Mai Miyake, a self-taught visual artist who uses a not-so-different color palette, but does a phenomenal job of opening up new worlds that are simply born out of her love for life. And she's no pansy, folks! Her eye is sharp as a razor and her work looks equally clean. I'll do a post of her work soon.

I haven't found any review on this show yet, but I'd love to hear more opinions. What's yours?

Tobacco & Salt Museum

2010-01-12T13:27:00.006+09:00

Over the weekend, I saw the new Ukiyo-e show at the Tobacco & Salt Museum in Shibuya. Sadly, this special exhibit wasn't very exciting. The quality of the works were only so-so; the selection was limited; and the themes seemed utterly ordinary (to me). Bummer.

But luckily, the relics from the permanent collection were totally cool! There's a whole floor dedicated to the production and history of Japanese and foreign salts, and the next floor has a similar overview of tobacco in Japan. Vintage cigarette cartons, anyone? HECK YES!

Revue: The curation in Japanese museums is always hard for me to swallow, for one reason or another. The issue of slavery (obviously a huge part of both industries) wasn't really brought up until the end of the exhibits, as if an afterthought of both histories. It's equally disturbing that the museum is considered a good "kid spot", since most of the exhibits are interactive. But in all good sense, why would anyone want to bring their children to play with vintage cigarette vending machines? And then forget to mention that all those cigarettes were once hulled and cultivated by torture and kidnapping?

When in Japan, I feel a huge sense of lacking in objective (or ironic?) perspectives in this country sometimes, especially when it comes to the presentation of information. Maybe I'm just not used to this system?

In any case, the early-to-mid-twentieth century graphic designs blew my mind. I couldn't believe how many 1964-Olympics cigarettes were released!

If you're interested in more, check out this site for vintage cigarette ads. Also, check out Matchibako by Maggie Kinser Hohle.

Medicine & Art @ Mori Art Museum - up until Feb. 28! (Tokyo)

2010-01-04T15:02:00.035+09:00

Hello, friends!

I hope you all had a happy new year! I spent most of it eating non-stop (which seems to be the trend this season). Did you enjoy the countdown?

Well right before New Year's, I went to the Mori Art Museum - of the best exhibitors of international contemporary art in Tokyo, by far (in my humble opinion). It's located on the 53rd floor of a very chic office/residential complex called Roppongi Hills. The museum is jointly-connected to a sky-high aquarium/viewing tower, where you can enjoy a 360 degree view of the city.

There are two main floors for art. Each runs a different exhibit. The quality of the smaller one varies (I've been to a "vintage Ultra-Man" poster exhibit once...suffice to say it catered to a more pop-anime-niche), and I believe it's usually curated by some outside company. The top floor is where it's at.

Currently, they are exhibiting a show called, "Medicine and Art: Imagining a Future for Life and Love." It went something like this:

Walking stick once owned by Charles Darwin, 19th century
Courtesy of Wellcome Library, London

Damien Hirst
Surgical procedure (maia), 2007
oil on canvas
photo: prudence cuming associates ltd, courtesy white cube © damien hirst, dacs, 2009

Three tibetan anatomical figures
c. 1800
Watercolour and black ink on white linen
Wellcome library, UK

Rembrandt
The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Tulp, 1632
Oil on canvas
The Hague, Netherlands

Maruyama Okyo
Skeleton performing zazen on waves
c.1787 ink, paper
132.6×59cm
Daijoji temple, Hyogo, Japan

Gilles Barbier
L'Hospice / The Nursing Home, 2002
Six wax figures, television, dimensions variable
Martin Z. Margulies, Miami, USA
Courtesy: Galerie G.-P. & N. Vallois, Paris, France

Leonardo da Vinci
Two Studies of a Cranium, 1489
Pen and ink, over traces of black chalk
18.8x13.4 cm
ROYAL COLLECTION ©2009 HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II

Alvin Zafra
Argument from Nowhere, 2000
Skull on sandpaper mounted on wood
3 panels
59 cm x 243 cm each and video documentation

E. Muller
Set of 50 Artificial Glass Eyes, 1900-1940, Liverpool, England
glass, wood, velvet, leatherette
3x31x18 cm
Science Museum, London

Revue: Overwhelming. It's been nearly a week since I went, and still it's difficult to articulate what I think about it. It's certinaly an impressive show, filled with tons of pieces - from 18th century nepalese anatomical prints, to tons of german dissectional engravings, to ivory dissection models with pull-apart pieces, to prosthetics, to contemporary art. It's a brilliant assortment of things, but in the end it was all kind of freaky.

What got to me about this show was remembering a conversation I had with someone in the Mori Art Museum when they were preparing for it last year. Perhaps this is an inaccurate recollection, but the main argument was that art & religion have always been closely tied together - madonna & child, nativity scenes, immaculate conception, buddhist scrolls, moorish architecture, hindu folktales, etc. etc. etc. and we all regard them as fairly ordinary. So why not exhibit a show about art and medicine, which often holds a counter position to religion in modern society?

It made a lot of sense. It sounded like a really awesome, cool, beautiful show. I mean, who doesn't feel the awe of a Da Vinci sketch?

Yet, what I discovered in this show was that suddenly, when art merges with anatomical science, it feels a bit scary in real life. Why is that?

For example, the piece by Alvin Zafra (above) might look like a minimalist piece, but it's actually made by scraping a skull against sandpaper and leaving its residue for view (as well as a slight funky odor). It was TERRIFYING to look at. But why? Is it scary because it's too familiar? Or is it scary to admit that our anatomies are not really meant to be intact? Where is this fear really coming from?

Even looking all of the historical paintings of dissections, I was totally disturbed. Now, I'm certainly not one for gore, but I am a fan of science and didn't flinch during biology class (too much, anyway). All of these are just images! And like any another artwork or cultural artifact, they reflect the ideas, perceptions, technologies, and opinions of that time. So, what makes this show so unusual and weird? I still can't say.

Oh well, enjoy Alba, the florescent bunny by Eduardo Kac.

Here's some extra reading, if you're interested.

It's New Year's Eve in Tokyo...

2009-12-31T15:02:00.000+09:00

So here's to YOU, wherever you are!

::please bear with the upcoming format changes::

2009-12-30T00:02:00.000+09:00

Hello all,

There will be a number of little formatting changes as this baby takes off. Please bear with me as I figure it all out...in the mean time, stay tuned for more surprises!

Tomokazu Matsuyama for LeSportSac

2009-12-29T14:04:00.000+09:00

So, one of my uber cool, wow-i'm-totally-floored-by-his-accomplishments artist friends Matsu, was LeSportSac's Artist in Residence this past year and his designs are up for sale NOW! Huzzah!

Revue: I love Matsu's work and have been a fan of his since we first met last year. You can read more about his conceptual awesomeness on his site and on LeSportSac's intro page.

Though I'm hardly what you'd call "street", it's easy to recognize that his visual energy is out of this world and the bursts of color totally defy conventions of "gallery" vs. "street" vs. "commodity", or whatever else you want to throw in. His works portray a unique synergy of Japanese Edo & Meiji-period (roughly 17th - early 20th c.) aesthetics and hyper-bright graffiti art. I just find his vision to be so SOLID while being utterly exhilarating, too. His works also occupy a room at San Francisco's Hotel des Arts, and he'll be having an opening at Frey Norris Gallery (an incredible space!) on February 4, 2010. I'm excited to see one of my favorite works, "Wherever I Am (Homage to Bronco Buster)", 2009, hand painted FRP sculpture with metal and wood, 94 x 72 x 35 in, below. View from Joshua Liner Gallery in NYC.

Oh & for all you retail-savvy, Matsu's also been selected for the New York Artist Series for Nike's Air Max Lebron XII. Made with 700 Swarovski crystals and inspired by the concepts of "Lebron fearlessness" and Buddhist reincarnation, this is the epitome of awesome bling.

& don't forget to get your limited edition Matsu-designed Levi's.

Tabaimo @ Yokohama Museum of Art - up until Mar. 3! (Yokohama)

2009-12-28T18:03:00.001+09:00

Today, I checked out some great works by Tabaimo at the Yokohama Museum of Art

Revue: This is a totally sweet show. Up top is just a sample! The first is a detail from a looped-video installation, titled "apartment stratta" (2009), the second from the video installation "yudangami" (2009).

Tabaimo is a young female artist who creates brilliantly dark and bold, yet carefully worked out, illustrated videos & drawings from and about modern Japan. Her visual mode is heavily influenced by ukiyo-e (print) artists like Hokusai, working within an aesthetic of calligraphic black outlines and filled-in color (forgive me and my bad terminology). Her oeuvre is connected by underlying themes of acute, somewhat fantastical observations of Japan's mainstream culture, expressed with a sense of irony, surrealism, and a hint of paranoia.

So often as I walk around Japan the country, I find everything here to be a bit disturbing because it's all so nice - nice-looking, nice-smelling, nice-feeling, etc. But Tabaimo's works tear away at such veneers of "nice" and "kawaii (cute)" and reveal the visions of what might lie beneath, through images of what might be animism cum modern life, and with the bit of the vividly grotesque. Some might be turned off by the "ick" factor, but it's clearly not there for the mere shock value; Tabaimo is bringing it out to complete the picture of Japan - as an inevitable part of human reality.

The video installation work, "BLOW" was incredible. The overall curation was fantastic & most of the videos were shown installation-style, which was great.

Read more at ARTiT. More pics of the works at ARTit.

Thomas Ruff @ Gallery Koyanagi

2009-12-28T00:05:00.002+09:00

I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Koyanagi this past week. Wow, what a lovely, brilliant gallerist! I'd love to have just an ounce of her composure, grace, and confidence someday. Her gallery is one of the most important in Tokyo and her artist lineup is rather spectacular.

Thomas Ruff's "Cassini & Zcyles" @ Gallery Koyanagi

Revue: For the colors of the planetary photographs alone, the show was worth seeing. Also, the dimensional spaces delineated by the "zycles" (Ruffian term from Eng: cycloid & Ger: zykloide) works was quite nice. But otherwise, I'm not sure if I really understand these works...in case you're curious, here's an interview with the artist available on ARTiT mag.

*added: read more on Gallery Koyanagi at Art Space Tokyo.

Moriyama Daido @ New Art Diffusion Gallery in Ebisu - up until Jan. 17! (Tokyo)

2009-12-27T23:54:00.001+09:00

I'm catchin' up on posts here...

Daido Moriyama's "Around Magazine Work 1965-1974" @ NADiff Gallery

Revue: DM is of my favorite photographers, period. The show space was small and had unusually low ceilings, but they managed to pack in quite a lot of images. Lots of gritty, urban scenes, as well as a series of fetal babies (or something along those lines). Worth checking out. Self-portrait courtesy of superfuture.
Also, don't miss magical artroom gallery upstairs on the 3rd and 4th floors.

Sashie Matsu @ Mizuma Art Gallery (Nakameguro)

2009-12-27T23:48:00.000+09:00

After chatting with Mizuma himself, I trekked out to Nakameguro to see Sashie Matsu's show, "de facto standard", at Mizuma's orignal location.

Revue: Inspired by steampunk, this show had 3 large canvas oil paintings of sci-fi landscapes with hauntingly familiar Japanese urban signs. According to some reliable sources, there has been a lot of interest for these works on the art market.

Mizuma Art Gallery - New location in Iidabashi

2009-12-27T23:39:00.001+09:00

Tenmyouya Hisashi's "Furyu Extravagant" @ Mizuma's new location.

Revue: I wrote my thesis on Tenmyouya so I felt obliged to check out the show. There were 5 pieces in total. He's getting better at doing flashy works, and his technique is as tight as ever. But the direction is a bit vague this time around...still glad I got to see the show, though!

Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography: stunning

2009-12-24T15:46:00.000+09:00

It's Christmas eve AND the first post of this art kaleidoscope/diary/scrapbook/collection - so let's start off with champagne and a toast!

Today I ventured to the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography for the first time. It's part of the Ebisu Garden Place, conveniently located off of the Ebisu train station via a 7 minute "air walk". Currently, there are three shows up at this museum and here's some info/imagery on & from all three:

1. Ihee Kimura & Henri Carier-Bresson: Eastern Eye & Western Eye

Revue: A delightful show with lots of pieces. Curatorially speaking, it's not especially challenging. However, I particularly enjoyed the portraits of Satre (above via quixotando), Rouault, Giacometti by Cartier-Bresson. Also enjoyed the color photo compilations.

2. Voyage - View of the World by Japanese Photographers

Revue: The photos were alright; some artists weren't terribly interesting. From the bunch, I particularly liked Sayuri Naito's feminine, dreamy, and airy photographs. But the real highlight of the show was the dark room reeling two incredible works by Sawa Hiraki. Above, "Small Metal Gods", a music video for David Sylvian's song. Collab. 2009. 5'50". See it at youtube.

The other video, which I can't find, was called "Hidden Trees" - shown at Whitebox gallery in NYC. Definitely try and check it out if you can.

3. Ishida Takashi and Genealogy of Abstract Animation

Lightplay in Black, White and Grey by Lazlo Moholy-Nagy (1931)
via Youtube

Studie No. 9 by Oskar Fischenger (1931)
via adnstream.com
Revue: An incredible show! It brought together so many elements, all with a deliciously historic appeal. Granted, the curating seemed to simplify things a bit too much, going on in chronological order (which is generally standard in Japanese exhibitions,) and ending the series of French, Hungarian and German artist narrative with the contemporary Japanese Takashi Ishida's work. Take it how you will, I guess. All I cared about was that I got to see REAL phenakistoscopes! There were also Kinoras AND kintoscopes. Overall, a very interactive and fun setup.
The show also featured some marvelous video works by Lazlo Moholy-Nagy and Oscar Fischenger, which I've posted above. The latter vid isn't the exact same as the one from the exhibit, but it's from the same series. Enjoy!