Shinro Ohtake
12 October–12 December 2014
Preview: Saturday 11 October, 6:30–9pm
Parasol unit
14 Wharf Road
London N17RW
T +44 20 7490 7373
info [at] parasol-unit.org
Shinro Ohtake, one of Japan’s leading and most innovative contemporary artists, opens his solo exhibition at Parasol unit from 12 October to 12 December (preview Saturday 11 October, 6:30–9pm). Ohtake’s practice extends from the creation of visual arts projects and artist books, to sound and architectural projects. Following his various exhibitions held in Japan and internationally, and in recognition of his outstanding contribution, Shinro Ohtake was awarded one of Japan’s most prestigious art awards: The Agency for Cultural Affairs Minister’s Award for the Fine Arts 2013–14.
With an extensive, diverse and innovative body of works executed over the past 30 years, Shinro Ohtake has clearly positioned himself as one of the most important creative forces in contemporary Japanese art. Ohtake’s oeuvre includes drawing, pasted works, painting, sculpture and photography, as well as experimental music and videos, but the activity of cutting and pasting is clearly his most powerful form of expression. Much of his work utilises found images and scraps discarded from urban culture and the mass media, often with reference to the underground music culture. In 1977, Ohtake began his ongoing series of “Scrapbooks,” for which he is renowned and has to date completed more than 60. Due to the elaborate process of making the Scrapbooks, each one becomes both a painted and sculptural entity. An extensive presentation of his Scrapbooks was shown during the 2013 Venice Biennale.
The exhibition at Parasol unit is Shinro Ohtake’s first major show in a public London institution and provides important exposure of Ohtake’s early, recent and new works. It focuses particularly on his “Retina” and “Time Memory” series, but also includes works from the “Frost” and “Cell” series. Several of Ohtake’s films, another integral part of his practice, will also be screened during the exhibition.
Shinro Ohtake (b. 1955) lives and works in Uwajima.
This exhibition is curated by Ziba Ardalan, Founder/Director of Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art. It is accompanied by a full-colour publication, edited by Ziba Ardalan, including essays by Marco Livingstone and Julien Bismuth, and a related programme of educational events, family workshops, a poetry reading and artist talk at the Japan Foundation, London.
For further information, please contact Kirsteen Cairns: Press & Marketing Coordinator:
kirsteen [at] parasol-unit.org
Parasol unit foundation for contemporary art is grateful for the generous support from: The Asahi Beer Foundation, The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation, The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, The Japan Foundation and The Pola Art Foundation.
