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Twelve Japanese Artists from the Venice Biennale 1952-2001
Octber 5 to December 8, 2002

The Venice Biennale, launched in 1895 to make cultural and humanitariancontributions internationally, is held every two years. No other international art festival has a longer history. There are two major characteristics of the Venice Biennale;
(1) Both individual-country exhibitions and cross-border pavilions are presented:
(2) Artists and artworks that are considered symbolic of the times are introduced in order to present artistic trends.

Japan participated in the Venice Biennale for the first time in 1952, at the 26th exhibition, and was the first Asian country to open its own pavilion, four years later. In the five decades since then, the circumstances experienced by Japan and the world have changed greatly. However, what has always been true is that artists are exerting themselves to explore new ways of expression, so as to expand the framework of art.

The current Art Tower Mito (ATM) exhibition displays the works of 12 Ibaraki-related artists who have participated in the Venice Biennale in the past. It attempts to show how a particular period of time is related to contemporary art, and introduces the diversity of artistic expressions in the latter 20th century, ranging from traditional Japanese painting to installations.


Outline

Twelve Japanese Artists from the Venice Biennale 1952-2001
Oct. 5 (Sat) to Dec. 8 (Sun), 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (no visitors admitted past 5:30 p.m.)
Closed on Mondays (except Oct. 14 and Nov. 4), as well on Oct. 15 (Tue) and Nov. 5 (Tue)
Contemporary Art Gallery, Art Tower Mito

Admission:
¥800 General
¥600 Advance-purchase tickets, groups (20 or more)
¥1,000 H.T.P. (one-year Pass for 15- to 19-year-olds, available at ATM and JR East)
¥2,000 Pass for Adults (one-year pass for persons aged 20 and above)
Free Students (through 9th grade), senior citizens (65 and older), and disabled persons

Organizers: Contemporary Art Center (ATM) and The Ibaraki Shimbun
Supported by: The Japan Foundation
Sponsors: Asahi Breweries Ltd. and Asahi Glass Co.
Cooperation from: NHK Technical Services, SOUM Corporation, and Takeo Co., Ltd.
Planning: Contemporary Art Center (ATM)
Curators: Eriko Osaka, chief curator of Contemporary Art Center (ATM), Tsukasa Mori, curator of Contemporary Art Center (ATM)

Participating Artists
Taikan YOKOYAMA, Yoshi KINOUCHI, Katsuhiro YAMAGUCHI, Ay-O, Morio SHINODA, Kosho ITO, Shintaro TANAKA, Yoichiro KAWAGUCHI, Tadashi KAWAMATA, Tatsuo MIYAJIMA, Naoya HATAKEYAMA, Katsuhiko HIBINO

Related publication
A book will come out in November that describes the history of Venice Biennale, the participating artists' profiles, and photos of their works displayed in the ATM exhibition.


Related Projects


Opening Artist Talk
Oct. 5 (Sat), 2:30-3:30 p.m.
The 1st room, Contemporary Art Gallery, Art Tower Mito
Speaker: Ay-O
Admission: Free to anyone with an exhibition ticket


Talks and Lectures
Throughout the exhibition, talk shows and lectures will be presented by the participating artists and experts. For further details, call ATM's Contemporary Art Center at +81 (0)29-227-8120.
Venue: Conference Hall, Art Tower Mito
Admission: ¥500
Seating: 80
Note: Phone reservations can be made after Oct. 1; call +81 (0)29-225-3555.

Artist Talk 1
Oct. 14 (Mon)
1:30-6:00 p.m. (doors open at 1:00 p.m.)
"My Experience at the Venice Biennale"
1:30-2:30 p.m. Katsuhiko HIBINO
2:30-3:30 p.m. Naoya HATAKEYAMA
Moderator: Eriko Osaka

Artist Talk 2
Nov. 9 (Sat), 1:00-5:15 p.m. (doors open at 12:30 p.m.)
"My Experience at the Venice Biennale"
1:00-2:00 p.m. Tatsuo MIYAJIMA
2:00-3:00 p.m. Yoichiro KAWAGUCHI
3:00-3:15 p.m. Intermission
3:15-4:15 p.m. Kosho ITO
4:15-5:15 p.m. Morio SHINODA

Cafe Talk (Held jointly with Prof. Kawamata's seminar)
Oct. 14 (Mon), 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Tadashi KAWAMATA + Shintaro TANAKA
"Art of the 1960s"
Conference Hall (ATM)
Admission Free




Lectures
The venue for both lectures is ATM's conference Hall, which can hold only 80people. Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis (registration to be made on the day).

1. "Yoshi Kinouchi and His Art"
Oct. 19 (Sat), 2:30-4:00 p.m. (doors open at 2:00 p.m.)
Speaker: Meiji Hijikata, curator, Nerima Art Museum

2. "Europe and Taikan Yokoyama"
Oct. 26 (Sat), 2:30-4:00 p.m. (doors open at 2:00 p.m.)
Speaker: Toshiyuki Okuma, curator-in-chief, San-no-maru Shozo-kan, Imperial Household Agency


Artists and works exhibited


1. Taikan YOKOYAMA (1868-1958)
Taikan YOKOYAMA
Chichibu Reiho Shungyo (Chichibu Secret Mountains at Spring Dawn, 1928)
Collection of San-no-maru Shozo-kan, the Imperial Household Agency, Japan

Participated in the 26th Venice Biennale (1952), representative: Ryuzaburo Umehara
Oct. 5 (Sat) to Nov. 4 (Mon)
-- Hisen (1928), collection of San-no-maru Shozo-kan, the Imperial Household Agency
Nov. 6 (Wed) to Dec. 8 (Sun)
-- One Day on the Pacific Ocean (1952), collection of The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
-- Chichibu Secret Mountains at Spring Dawn (1928), collection of San-no-maru Shozo-kan, the Imperial Household Agency, Japan.


2. Yoshi KINOUCHI (1892-1977)
Yoshi KINOUCHI
Onna (A Woman, 1956)
Collection of The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo

Participated in the 29th Venice Biennale (1958), representative: Shuzo Takiguchi
-- Woman with Raised Foot (1949), private collection
-- A Pose (1954), collection of the Joyo Bank
-- Torso with Arms (1958), collection of Mito City Museum
-- A Reposing Woman (1956), private collection
-- A Woman (1956), collection of The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
--A Nude (a sitting woman with her left knee drawn up) (1958), private collection, entrusted by the Museum of Modern Art, Ibaraki



3. Morio SHINODA (b. 1931)
Morio SHINODA
Tension and Compression TC.351 (1966)
Collection of The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo

Participated in the 33rd Venice Biennale (1966), commissioner: Teijiro Kubo
-- Tension and Compression TC351 (1966), collection of The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
-- Tension and Compression TC 353X-II (1966), collection of Matsuda Bijutsu
-- Tension and Compression TC 353X-III (1966), collection of Matsuda Bijutsu


4. Ay-O (b. 1931)
Ay-O
Some Hanging Pieces No10 (1997)
Exhibition photo at the Kitakyushu Municipal Museum of Art

Participated in the 33rd Venice Biennale (1966), commissioner: Teijiro Kubo
-- Some Hanging Pieces No10-（#5）
-- object mandala for mito (2002)
-- From the Black Hole (2002), oil painting (first shown in the Ibaraki Shimbun)


5. Katsuhiro YAMAGUCHI (b. 1928)
Katsuhiro YAMAGUCHI
Gogatsu no Hashi (A Bridge in May, 1968)
Collection of Iwaki City Art Museum

Participated in the 34th Venice Biennale (1968), commissioner: Ichiro Hariu
-- A Bridge in May (1968), collection of Iwaki City Art Museum
-- Kiss (1968), collection of Takamatsu City Museum of Art
-- Sign Pole (1968), collection of Takamatsu City Museum of Art


6. Shintaro TANAKA (b. 1940)
Shintaro TANAKA
Morte (1972)
Exhibition photo from the 36th Venice Biennale

Participated in the 36th Venice Biennale (1972), commissioner: Yoshiaki Tohno
-- Basilica (2002)


7. Tadashi KAWAMATA (b. 1953) Tadashi KAWAMATA
Venice Biennale, Plan Model (1982-86)
Private Collection

Participated in the 40th Venice Biennale (1982), commissioner: Arata Tani
-- Venice Biennale, Planning (7 pieces) (1982), collection of Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo
-- Venice Biennale, Documentary Photo Panel (a set of 6 pieces) (1982), collection of Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo
-- Venice Biennale, Plan Model (1982-86), private collection, entrusted by The Museum of Modern Art, Gunma
-- Venice Biennale, Plan Drawing (3 pieces) (1982), private collection, entrusted by The Museum of Modern Art, Gunma
-- Plan for Venice Biennale (6 pieces) (1982), private collection
-- Outdoor Installation (Venice Biennale '82 1/1 model) (2002)


8. Kosho ITO (b. 1932)
Kosho ITO
JEWEL BOX (2002)

Participated in the 41st Venice Biennale (1984), commissioner: Arata Tani
-- JEWEL BOX (2002)


9. Yoichiro KAWAGUCHI (b. 1952)
Yoichiro KAWAGUCHI
Cytolon (2002)

Participated in the 46th Venice Biennale (1995), commissioner: Junji Ito
-- COACERVATER (1994), hi-vision 3-D
-- GIGALOPLIS (1995), hi-vision 3-D
-- Cytolon (2002), hi-vision 3-D
-- Lenticular Works (1990-1999)


10. Katsuhiko HIBINO (b. 1958)
Katsuhiko HIBINO
on the bridge (2002)

Participated in the 46th Venice Biennale (1995), commissioner: Junji Ito
-- on the bridge (2002)


11. Tatsuo MIYAJIMA (b. 1957)
Tatsuo MIYAJIMA
Changing Time with Changing Self No.2 (Detail, 2002)
Private Collection

Participated in the 48th Venice Biennale (1999), commissioner: Junichi Shiota
-- Changing Time with Changing Self No.2 (2002), private collection


12. Naoya HATAKEYAMA (b. 1958)
Naoya HATAKEYAMA
Slow Glass #065 (2001)

Participated in the 49th Venice Biennale (2001), commissioner: Eriko Osaka
-- Untitled/Osaka 1998-99 (2001), private collection
-- Untitled/Osaka 2002 (2002)
-- Slow Glass (6 pieces) (2001)


CRITERIUM #51／Ryoko AOKI
Oct. 5 (Sat) to Nov. 4 (Mon)
The 9th room, Contemporary Art Gallery (ATM)
Curator:　Kenji Kubota, Assistant Curator, Contemporary Art Center (ATM)
Open to anyone with a ticket for ATM's current exhibition

CRITERIUM #52／François FUJII
Nov. 9 (Sat) to Dec. 8 (Sun)
The 9th room, Contemporary Art Gallery (ATM)
Curator:　Mori Tsukasa, Curator, Contemporary Art Center (ATM)
Open to anyone with a ticket for the ATM's current exhibition

Note: The Latin word "criterium" is based on the Greek word "criterion," meaning "standard." The series features artists who are energetically engaged in exploring the possibilities of new forms of expression. Planning is assisted by the ATM Contemporary Art Center curator.


Gallery Talks

On weekends during the exhibition, a CAC Gallery Talker will give a gallery talk in the afternoon. People wishing to join are requested to appear at the entrance of the gallery beforehand.
Oct. 12-Dec. 8 (Saturdays and Sundays), 2:30-3:10 p.m. (approx. 40 minutes each)
Note: Circumstances may force cancellation of the talks at any certain time.


27th lecture sponsored by ATM Tomo no Kai (members club)

Ms. Kazuko Koike, a creative director renowned as a copywriter for the MUJI brand, as well as an editor and design critic, will speak on the "art of living."
Nov. 16 (Sat), 2:00-3:30 p.m. (doors open at 1:30 p.m.)
Speaker: Kazuko Koike, creative director
Venue: Conference Hall (ATM)
Admission: ¥500 (free for ATM members)
Seating: 80 people on a first-come, first-served basis (registration on theday).
No reservations accepted.
ATM members are requested to bring their member cards.
For further details, call the ATM Tomo no Kai at +81 (0)29-227-8111.

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Translated by Paul T. Narum
(official names of exhibitions and artworks are furnished by the artists and planners themselves)

Copyright ©2002 MITO ARTS FOUNDATION. All Rights Reserved. Created by TK.
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