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| The Coaster Project, Destination: The World | |||
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 March 10 through March 23 Opening Party March 10, 18:00 - 20:00 Closing Party March 23 (coasters to be distributed with drinks) radio:on:studio Black Aoyama Bldg. 7F 3-2-7 Minami Aoyama Minato-ku Tel: 03.5785.3046 Open 16:00 - till late |
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| What do
Davis Station in Antarctica, BOMA (Bar of Modern Art) in Berlin, and Red
Rock Brewing Company of Salt Lake City, Utah, all have in common? They're
all good places to have a drink. And if you happen to drop by any of these
watering holes between March and May 2002 for dram of your favorite
poison, you may get your drink served on coasters made by artists.
In an innovative project, a group of 100 artists have gotten together not only to make art, but to organize a world tour of it. The "Coaster Project, Destination: The World" is an exhibition of art created in the form of a beverage coaster. Each of the 100 artists has produced an edition of 100 coasters that will tour the world with exhibitions in 32 countries -- from Brazil to Finland -- including the funky, radio station/cocktail bar/art gallery "radio:on" in Aoyama, Tokyo. A surprising diversity of materials and artistic styles is on display in this exhibition. German artist, Sasha Schwartz, uses a humorous photo of himself as a philosopher with a big mustache made from a broom. While New York-based, Kim Sillen Gledhill, has painted 100 portraits of different individuals as a reaction to the events of September 11. Russian artist, Andrei Vovk, has ingeniously used brightly colored plastic rulers in his coasters, while Tracy Susheski of Canada, has crocheted hers. Caroline Anderson from the United States has created coasters sewn from prints on rag paper made over the past twenty years. Some coasters are personal works of art. Eric L. Zamuco, from the Philippines has created a tribute to his 100-year-old grandfather. Shan Goshorn is an Eastern Band Cherokee artist whose work addresses racism and stereotypes of Native-American peoples in commercial products. Her coaster, a double exposed, hand-tinted black and white photograph titled "Earth Renewal," relates to traditional Native-American values connected with the land. Others artists address more global issues. The well-known U.S. artist, Annette Lemieux, highlights consumerism with a series of works on actual drink coasters from her local bar. On these, she has painted word and visual messages. At the close of the exhibition at each site around the world, the coasters will be given away to patrons purchasing drinks. This generous act encapsulates the exhibition's goal of promoting appreciation of the visual arts. By using ordinary utilitarian objects such as beverage coasters, the exhibition also aims to make the arts more accessible and less elitist. The exhibition, supported by The Fuller Museum of Art and other cultural organizations in Massachusetts, is part of radio:on's exhibition program. The coasters of Tokyo-organizing artist, Carol Van Zandt, and those of about 20 other Tokyo-based artists will be included. During the closing night party, the coasters on display will be given away with drinks. top |
 
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| The Great Journey | |||
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March 6 through 18 Takashimaya Times Square 5-24-2 Sendagaya Shibuya-ku Tel: 03.5361.1122 Open 10:00 - 20:00 Adults Y600 Shinjuku station south exit |
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| Photo
exhibit of Dr. Yoshiharu Sekino's recently completed "Great Journey," a
50,000 kilometer trek over a period of eight years, retracing the several
million year journey that humankind took to spread from their origins in
Africa to the tip of South America. Over 200 pictures plus the kayak, bicycle, dogsled, tent and others items used in making this amazing journey will be on display. A video of the journey will also be shown. top |
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| Mariko Mori: Pure Land | |||
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 through March 24 Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo 4-1-1 Miyoshi, Kiba Park, Koto-ku 10:00 - 18:00 closed Monday Tel: 03.5245.4111 Y1000, Y500 children |
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| As
spiritually delicate as a crystal or as thin as a soap bubble, Mariko
Mori's art exists between extremes. It is at the radical point, on the
circumference of a circle, where start meets finish. Spiritualism and
advertising sit back to back, as bookends to Mariko Mori's art. In glossy
billboard-sized images and video clips, Mori appears in a variety of
guises from sexy super-hero to Asian mystical goddess. Shaman or
charlatan? In the ambiguous art world, it really doesn't matter. Andy
Warhol taught us that it is impossible and fruitless to try to distinguish
cultural parody and popular reality. None the less, a visit to the first
large scale showing of Mori's work of the past decade in a Japanese art
museum will leave you wondering. Mori's art is slick, sparkling and polished like the spherical crystals that she so often uses in her work. Her works are large and seductively glossy. They borrow heavily from advertising imagery for their visual impact. Mori's works from the early 1990's received high acclaim overseas. They focussed on various aspects of Japanese life at a time when Japan's quirky techno-pop consumer culture was chic in the trend centers of New York and London. Mori, who is a graduate from Bunka Fashion College and who had worked as a model, follows artists such as Cindy Sherman and uses herself as the model in her work, recorded in photographs and on video. "Play with me," (1994) depicts her dressed in her own ultra-modern costumes, with a suitable space-age gun, in an game arcade palace in Akihabara. Around her, and seemingly oblivious to her presence, geeks wage digital war at their consoles. Other works such as "Nirvana" (1997) combine computer-generated imagery with her own theatrical dressed image to create a new mystical reality -- a Doraemon(cartoon character)-meets-Krishna (Indian God) sort of image reminiscent of a Morning Musume video clip where this sexy schoolgirl pop group dances about in Indian saris. In the slightly later piece, "Kumano" (1998), Mori takes on a more spiritual guise. Inspired by the shrines and mystical ancient settings in Wakayama, she appears as a blend of the "amine" character (Princess Moon/SailorMoon) and an ancient Japanese goddess. She floats in silken white robes across billboard-sized photos, video screens and our consciousness. Mori's latest work, "Dream Temple," is a large installation constructed through grants from the Prado Foundation and first shown in Milan in 1999. Bathed in a white light and surrounded by radiant crystal sands, it is a rotunda-like; eight-sided floating room built of glass, white plastic and metal. Like much of the fantasy industry including computer games and anime, this vision of the future is based on the past. The futuristic "Dream Temple" is inspired by Horyuji temple, Nara (founded in 609). The temple's main hall, To-in, is called Yumedono, "Dream Hall," which is an elegant octagonal building. Mori borrows from its architectural form as well as its conceptual inspiration. However, Mori's "Dream Temple" is the ultimate shrine of glitzy new age spiritualism. Just step inside the pleasure palace for a few virtual moments of candy-coated nirvana. But make sure you book by telephoning the museum prior to your visit. top |
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| 4X6 Universe: The Art of Japanese Matchbox Labels | |||
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 through Mar 29 Morisawa Typography Space (MOTS) 2-27 Shimomiyabi-cho, Shinjuku-ku Tel: 03.3267.1233 10:00 - 18:00 Closed Sat. & Sun. Iidabshi stn |
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| A man is
holding a huge fish. He is hanging upside down, suspended by a rope around
his legs above a river. The rope is held by two horses, on either side of
a cliff, standing on their hind legs holding the rope with their front
hooves. This eccentric scene is captured on the tiny label of a matchbox.
It is one of the weirder matchbox labels, but not nearly the oddest, from
the roughly 2,000 on display at the Museum of Typography (MOT) in
Iidabashi. "4 X 6 Universe," the exhibition's title, refers to the
centimeter size of the tiny boxes. It is an absorbing exhibition that
illustrates Japan's long history in the matchbox industry. More
importantly the exhibition highlights the inventiveness and artistry of
the anonymous designers who created these designs. An illustration of children playing with their dog in gently falling snow was the endearing image that caught the attention of Yutaka Katoh some 30 years ago. Little did the graphic designer realize that this first whimsical purchase of an old box of matches would lead to him to a lifetime of phillumeny (the collecting of matchbox labels) and the establishment of a collection of over 50,000 matchbox labels. The exhibition at MOTS belongs to Katoh-san who also designed and produced the elegant catalogue and poster that accompany the exhibition. However, Katoh's passion is for more than just little boxes -- his interests and collection also includes the original wood block prints of labels, match advertising posters, archival photographs of important figures in the industry and even patent registration documents. Much of this is also on display in the exhibition. During the early 20th century the Japan's expanding industrial base fueled rapid growth in commercial art. Graphic design had an important role in developing brand recognition and sales for new industrial products. Designers were influenced by European styles such as Art Deco and the Bauhaus and combined these with the long traditions of their own distinctive artistic practices. This hybrid typography is nowhere better illustrated than on the myriad of matchbox labels produced for the burgeoning match export industry. Interestingly most of the labels on display are written in English, even the oldest from the Meiji period. This reflects the early internationalism of the match industry and Japan's dominance. This collection includes examples designed in Japan for American, Australian, English, French and Indian markets. A magical mystery tour of the world is revealed through these miniature designs -- Queen Victoria, Indian Gods such as Kali, American eagles, as well as flags from around the world. Carved in an intricate wood block print, tiny figures on horseback which merge to form a portrait of Napoleon show the skill and creativity of the artisans. Not unlike stamp collecting, rarity determines the monetary value of matchbox labels more than the artistry of the designs. Some rather ordinary monochrome labels are the rarest and the most valuable. These may sell for up to $40,000 for the rarest, of which there are but three in existence. Katoh-san is animated when discussing his collection. He jumps about from display case to bookcase to point out special designs. He is enchanted by their quirky designs, such as labels picturing deer playing brass instruments, a lion with a gun, a monkey postman, and an elephant as a fireman. As a designer he is attracted to the bold colors and the creative typography used in their designs, particularly the graphic pattern-play with kanji characters. But above all, it is that these miniature masterpieces are proudly "made in Japan."  top |
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| Arika Someya | |||
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 through March 9 Kenji Taki Gallery 3-18-2 Nishi-shinjuku Tel: 03.3378.6051 13:00 - 19:00 Closed Sun, Mon & Hol. |
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| Velvet
is a sensuous material -- rich in texture as well as in associations --
that invites you to touch and run your hand along its luscious fur-like
surface. Velvet is the unlikely material Arika Someya has chosen as her
canvas. With a brush she applies bleach onto the surface of red or black
velvet and where the bleach touches, the material fades to a variety of
golden whites, yellows and oranges. This exhibition features patterns from domestic interiors -- Dutch painted plates and Persian carpets. Someya's art plays with subjects inspired by the rich associations with velvet, yet her art is also associated with the ordinary and domestic through the bleaching process. Born in Aichi prefecture, Someya graduated in Fine Arts in 1986. After several exhibitions in Nagoya, Someya become more widely known since winning a Phillip Morris Art Award in 1998. She was included in the "First Steps: Emerging Artists from Japan" exhibition held at the Grey Art Gallery, New York. Her works with titles such as "Wall," "Carpet," "Room," and "Curtain," are often preceeded by the word "soak" or "decolor," describing the action of creating them. Bleach or motor oil are painted onto a porous surface such as plywood, cotton, paper towels or velvet. The liquid spreads into the surface producing a fuzzy outline. Many of the works in this exhibition are patterned like carpets or wallpaper, such as "Wall" with its repetitive "fleur de lys" shapes stenciled in black motor oil which has soaked into the plywood panel surface. The results appear neither messy nor haphazard; instead she has created luxurious, shimmering surfaces. Two other stunning works in this exhibition are on black velvet painted with bleach. "Decolor Level" and "Level 1" are large works over several meters in length and have just a hint of Persian rug pattern across their bases. These works defy Someya's usual flat pattern-making as they incorporate perspective to suggest depth by the receding pattern. This use of perspective suggests floor space creating illusions of a grand room in a stately home illuminated by a ray of golden light. The "Decolor - Plate" series is painted on rich red velvet and features images from Dutch porcelain plates -- the type of plates with milk maidens and windmills, in blue glaze on white porcelain, usually seen on mahogany chiffoniers. Someya's art is like the work of a magician -- conjuring up apparent wealth from ordinary domestic objects. Although seemingly simple in production, it yields an opulence of textures and patterns, as well as, a complexity of ideas, including issues of gender.  top |
 
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| Design NOW. Austria | |||
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through April 7 Hara Museum of Contemporary Art 4-7-25 Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, 03.3445.0651 11:00 - 17:00 (20:00 Wed.) Closed Mon. Adults Y1000; Under 15 Y500; JR Shinagawa Stn. |
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| "Why the
things you buy are expensive, badly designed, unsafe and usually don't
work," is the claim on the back cover of Victor Papanek's best seller of
the 1970's, Design for the Real World. The book is part of an exhibition
of Austrian designers and Papanek's ideas have had a lasting influence on
the last 30 years of design in Austria and elsewhere. Papanek's ideas are
also at the heart of this exhibition where the curators, both Austrian
designers, have taken a very inclusive definition of design. The exhibition includes the "design" of neutrinos, radio programs, music, fashion, graphics as well as the work of philosopher designers such as Papanek. About thirty exhibits are included in the selection at the Hara Museum, part of an exhibition that has toured the world. Using a disposable cigarette lighter to heat water to make tea-bag tea may not have been Papanek's ideal use of design to save the planet. However, Thomas Hasenbichler and Esther Hollander's light-up plastic cup is ingenious and very groovy -- just the thing for a ski trip when you need a cuppa. Also included in the exhibition is the first pair of synthetic skis made by the Kneissl White Star company in 1960. These skis, which replaced wood and steel versions, revolutionized skiing with their lightness, flexibility and shape. They became a legend on the feet of Karl Schranz, Austria's multiple winner of skiing's World Cup. Perhaps the whole of twentieth-century design thinking is encapsulated in "the chair." It seems the chair is the object where designers make their signature design mark and two standout chairs are included in this exhibition. Emilio Pircher's, Chair, designed last year, is a clear plastic box screwed together on legs. Inside the box, the owner of the chair can place objects of choice. For the exhibition, it was filled with artificial daisies -- very cute, domestic and friendly. In contrast, Walter Pichler's hi-tech chair of 1966 is made of auto industry aluminum and decked out with red leather in a stunning, classic design. Prof. Ferdinand Porsche is the grandson of the legendary car designer. Like his grandfather, he also began his design career at the Porsche car plant in Stuttgart where, in 1963, he designed the body shape of the Porsche 911. In the early 1970s he went out on his own and moved his studio to Zell am See in Austria. F. A. Porsche's work features auto industry high-tech materials in a signature range of stylish "men's" items. On show is an ingenious light which pivots from a triangular base. Looking more like a space probe, this 1984 design has become a classic of the company's products. The ceramic work of Barbara Beranek brings a sparkle of humor to an otherwise rather dry exhibition. Her series of salt and pepper-shakers with a decidedly erotic and cheeky touch are a fun inclusion. Bright in color, highly finished and glossy, they are a quirky mix of sixties retro with a kitschy, touristy touch. For anyone who has ever thought about the shape of the world around them, this exhibition will give you more to think about. top |
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| Medicine as Metaphor -- Art and Medicine | |||
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 through March 24 NTT InterCommunication Center Tokyo Opera City Tower 4F 3-20-2 Nishi-Shinjuku Hatsudai station, Keio New Line 10:00 - 18:00, closed Mondays Tel: 0120-144199 Adults Y800 Children Y400 |
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| Not
since Leonardo secretly dissected cadavers in Renaissance Italy has art
paid as much attention to medicine as it has in the last few years.
Perhaps this is a reflection of the loss of artists due to AIDS or the
unravelling of human genes and the pictorialization of life through
computer imaging. Curator Kamikanda Kei at the ICC has explored this area
and put together an engaging collection of art connected to medicine.
Eight artists from Japan and around the world are included in the
exhibition "Medicine as Metaphor -- Art and Medicine". Works in the exhibition critically examine the technologies as well as the underlying philosophies of modern medicine and science. Yama Da Ryu's installation incorporates mini-red and yellow LED screens flashing out DNA sequences. These screens are arranged in circles on a bed of beans. The beans symbolize "seeds of life" but are also at the center of debate about gene modification. "Visual Brains" is the title of the collaborative duo of Sei Kazama and Hatsune Ohtsu. Their video piece "Scale" documents the tests and measurements of modern childbirth. Australian artist, Justine Cooper, uses Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans to create self-portraits. Her animated video takes the viewer on a roller coaster journey through her anatomy until climactically reaching her brain. "Stolen bodies" is an installation by Mihoko Kosugi and Yasuhiko Ando. It includes multiple video monitors to examine issues of organ transplants. Body parts shift from monitor to monitor and cast questions of ownership and identity in this mesmerizing and alarming vision. On a lighter note is an installation by Kaoru Motomiya about the dietary system. It is set in a lolly pink kitchen and includes a video of an over-flowing abundance of olive oil and is set to a catchy melody. Touching is encouraged in the work, "Doctor's hand" by Lisa Inoue, which allows visitors to experience the use of the remote mechanical hands used by doctor's in surgery for infectious patients. Inoue is also a medical historian whose research has focused on the experiments and writings of 19th-century medical researcher Sydney Ringer. Another of her installations in the exhibition uses artificial lungs and heart-monitoring technology to simulate ideas proposed by Ringer. "Body art" is the basis of fashions by Eri Matsui and Shingo Harada. They use the internal life systems of the body, such as the circulatory system, in their designs. While the photographs of Makiko Koie look like abstract paintings -- just daubs of color -- they are in reality photographs of the microscopic cells of our bodies. This is a fascinating exhibition featuring contemporary art that focuses on a subject as old as human beings and explores new medical technologies by incorporating multi-media -- from microscopic imaging to computer-generated virtual worlds. top |
 
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