May 18–June 23, 2019
Japan and Poland celebrates the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Poland in 2019. Adam Mickiewicz Institute and Kyoto Art Center are honored to co-organize a large-scale group show to introduce Japanese and Polish contemporary art in Kyoto. The exhibition includes not only solo work by Japanese and Polish artists but also collaborative art work by both countries as well as various public programs.
Also, the Celebration project expands to two cities in Poznan andSzczecin with the same concept and artists list.
Concept
Poland and Japan are both nations with rich histories and cultural traditions. In particular, they have each attracted much admiration for an aesthetic that is imbued with what in Japan is called mono no aware, an awareness of transience, as seen in their shared sensitivity and way of delicately perceiving shifts in the seasons and zeitgeist, and changing accordingly.
Though burdened with a complex history, Poland has not only produced remarkable examples of art but is also known for its crafts, architecture design, and other output that is closely tied to lifestyle, and has further drawn much praise for its contributions to cinema, music, and fashion. Rooted in a unique culture and intellectual context, Japan’s quality of meticulous handiwork and craftsmanship is especially striking, while the wealth of its diverse expression that is linked to physicality is also salient. This exhibition focuses on emerging and mid-career artists from both nations, spotlighting their common aspects of aesthetic and critical values in order to examine contemporary society in the two countries through the artworks that acute extract issues.
While preparing for this exhibition, the exhibiting artists from the two countries with their different cultural backgrounds met to hold dialogues and exchange opinions, and learn from one another. The exhibition aims to show non-monistic values and phenomena, the process of doing which will surely also reveal how a more vivid social life takes place in smaller social structures and less prominent regional cities located away from major centers. Held in both Japan and Poland, the exhibition will propose from non-Western European position diverse and varied perspectives on the joint themes of socio-political change and postcolonial interpretations of art.
Participating artists
9 artists from Poland: Karolina Breguła, Agnieszka Brzeżańska, Piotr Bujak, Daniel Koniusz, Robert Kuśmirowski, Maria Loboda, Alicja Rogalska, Łukasz Surowiec, Stachu Szumski
12 artists from Japan: contact Gonzo, Tomohiro Higashikage, hyslom, Ryosuke Imamura, Yoshimasa Ishibashi + Hideyuki Ando, Satoshi Kawata, Meiro Koizumi, Masanori Matsuda, Okamoto Mitsuhiro, Yuriko Sasaoka, Yuske Taninaka, Makiko Yamamoto
Exhibition description
May 18–June 23, 2019
Kyoto Art Center, The Terminal Kyoto, ROHM Theatre Kyoto
Curators: Akiko Kasuya (professor, Kyoto City University of Arts), Paweł Pachciarek (Osaka University Graduate School of Letters)
Advisor: Akira Tatehara (Director of Kyoto Art Center, President of Tama Art University)
Admission: free
Special exhibition
Term：May 18, 19, 22–26, 2019
Venue：World heritage, Nijo-jo castle
Admission: Free（Entrance fee for Nijo-jo castle is required）
