21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Special Exhibition "Future Elements: Experimental Laboratory for Prototyping in Science and Design"
From March 29th (Friday) to August 12th (Monday, public holiday) in 2024, the special exhibition "Future Elements: Experimental Laboratory for Prototyping in Science and Design" will be held at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Gallery 1 & 2. The exhibition director, Shunji Yamanaka, a design engineer known for his broad work in industrial product design and prototyping of cutting-edge technology, will guide visitors through a showcase of prototypes, robots, and his original sketches, produced through collaborative efforts with various individuals in university research labs. The exhibition will also feature diverse works resulting from collaborations between 8 pairs of designers/creators and scientists/engineers, each from different fields. This intersection of cutting-edge technology, pioneering perspectives in research, and design will introduce the fragments of the future.

Experience the enjoyment of design heading towards an unseen future in a venue where diverse perspectives converge, and imagination is woven together by the interplay of science and design. Please enjoy the exhibition.

Exhibition Period: March 29th (Friday) to August 12th (Monday, public holiday) in 2024
Venue: 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Gallery 1 & 2
Closed on Tuesdays

Organized by: 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT, The MIYAKE Issey Design Foundation
Special Sponsor: Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd.

Exhibition Director: Shunji Yamanaka
Planning: Midori Nomura (fuRo), Mitsu Muramatsu, Shin Sakamoto
Graphic Design: Ken Okamoto (Okamoto Ken Design Office)
Venue Construction: Kaisuke Bando (Bando Kaisuke Architecture Design Office)
Text/Planning Cooperation: Mai Tsuno
Technical Direction: Takayuki Furuta (fuRo), Hiroshi Sugihara (lower)
URL: https://www.2121designsight.jp/program/future_elements/
Image: “Structural tactility” Satoshi Tanigawa, Shunji Yamanaka + Toshiki Niino (top),
“CanguRo” Shunji Yamanaka + Chiba Institute of Technology fuRo (Photo by Yusuke Nishibe) (bottom)

The National Art Center, Tokyo "Universal / Remote"

From March 6th (Wednesday) to June 3rd (Monday) in 2024, The National Art Center, Tokyo, is currently hosting the exhibition "Universal / Remote: Universal / Remote." The global-scale movement of people, capital, and information has been expanding since the latter half of the 20th century. In the face of challenges such as over-tourism, the transfer of production costs and environmental burdens to developing countries, and information inequality, we find ourselves in the midst of the 2020s, a period marked by the widespread adoption of smart devices in the 2010s.

The pandemic, which initiated in 2020, unexpectedly halted human movement. However, there is no indication of a cessation in the movement of capital and information. On the contrary, the genuine nature of capital and information appears to be growing more visible – highlighting a stark contrast between wealth and poverty, strength and weakness, thus revealing the distorted nature of our world. The exhibition serves as a contemplative exploration of these contemporary dynamics.

Exhibition Period: March 6th (Wednesday) to June 3rd (Monday)
Venue: The National Art Center, Tokyo - Special Exhibition Room 1E
Closed on Tuesdays (Except for April 30th, Tuesday, when it will be open)
Opening Hours: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (Until 8:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays)
Last entry to the exhibition is 30 minutes before closing.

URL: https://tinyurl.com/d35tp43m

Mori Art Museum 20th Anniversary Exhibition: "Our Ecology: Toward a Planetary Living"

In celebration of its 20th anniversary, the Mori Art Museum presents the exhibition "Our Ecology: Toward a Planetary Living" from October 18, 2023 (Wednesday) to March 31, 2024 (Sunday). Showcasing approximately 100 diverse expressions, ranging from historical works to new creations by 34 artists from around the world, the exhibition is divided into four chapters. The first chapter, "Everything is Connected," addresses the complex intertwining of environmental and ecological systems with human activities. The second chapter, "Returning to the Earth," reexamines artworks created and exhibited in Japan during the 1950s to 1980s when environmental pollution became a significant issue beneath the high economic growth. The third chapter, "The Great Acceleration," reveals the impact of excessive human development of Earth's resources, offering some form of "hope." The final chapter, "The Future is Within Us," explores the possibilities of the future through various expressions such as activism, indigenous wisdom, feminism, AI, collective intelligence (CI), and spirituality, examining both cutting-edge technology and ancient techniques.

Exhibition Period: October 18, 2023 (Wednesday) - March 31, 2024 (Sunday)
Venue: Mori Art Museum (Roppongi Hills Mori Tower 53F, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
Opening Hours: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM (Until 5:00 PM on Tuesdays; until 10:00 PM on 1/2 and 3/19)
Image: Emilia Schatznarite "Arrow of Time," 2023, Video Installation (16 minutes)
URL: https://tinyurl.com/4wn2dc2w

Towada Art Center Special Exhibition "Yu Araki: LONELY PLANETS"

From December 9th (Saturday) to March 31st (Sunday), 2024, the Towada Art Center will host the first solo exhibition in a museum by the filmmaker Araki Yu, titled "LONELY PLANETS." Yu, who grew up moving between Japan and the United States, explores mistranslations and misunderstandings that occur between various languages and cultures, as well as the power structures revealed by the relationships between originals and reproductions. The title of the exhibition is inspired by a mishearing of a lyric that led to Araki feeling a sense of affinity with the world-famous travel guidebook "Lonely Planet." The exhibition will feature four new video works expanding on the artist's themes, as well as three past works.

Exhibition Period: December 9th (Saturday) to March 31st (Sunday), 2024
Opening Hours: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Last entry 30 minutes before closing)
Closed: Mondays (If Monday is a public holiday, closed on the following day)
Admission: General - 1,800 (Includes permanent exhibition), High school students and below - Free
Image: "Araki Yu: LONELY PLANETS" Main Visual
URL: https://tinyurl.com/3jf769xm

Tokyo Photographic Art Museum Exhibition "Memory: RRemembrance beyond images"

The Tokyo Photographic Art Museum presents the exhibition "Memory: Remembrance - Expressions in Contemporary Photography and Film" from March 1st (Friday) to June 9th (Sunday) in 2024. This exhibition explores how photography and film have attempted to capture people's various memories. By shaking the observer's senses and expanding imagination, the exhibition introduces diverse attempts by artists to connect the memories of others, imprinted images of an era, and the viewer's own memories, transcending time and space.

Exhibition Period: March 1st (Friday) to June 9th (Sunday)
Closed on Mondays (Except for April 29th (Monday) and May 6th (Monday), which will be open. Closed on May 7th (Tuesday).
Venue: Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, 2nd-floor exhibition room
Image: Marja Pirila
"Camera Obscura / Loos" , 2011
Artist's Collection
URL: https://tinyurl.com/bdzd2vcv

Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art "KOBAYASHI Masakazu and His Contemporaries – Beyond Fiber Art"

From January 6 (Saturday) to March 10 (Sunday) in 2024, the Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art will host the "60th Anniversary Exhibition:KOBAYASHI Masakazu and His Contemporaries – Beyond Fiber Art." A pioneer in this field in Japan, Masakazu Kobayashi (1944–2004) started with a background in lacquerwork from Kyoto City University of Arts (later Kyoto City University of the Arts). Inspired by the encounter with a single thread during his tenure at Kawashima Textile, he created three-dimensional sculptural works by "dropping," "stretching," and accumulating threads. After winning the 6th International Tapestry Biennale, he gained international recognition through participation in events like the International Textile Triennale (Lodz, Poland) and the International Textile Competition (Kyoto). Kobayashi's works, which consider fiber as closely related to humans, always aim to sever and connect space and relationships, eventually expanding to outdoor installations.

This retrospective exhibition, held as the first of its kind for Masakazu Kobayashi, presents approximately 100 works, including his representative pieces and related materials, along with works by artists who walked alongside him.

Exhibition Period: January 6 (Saturday) - March 10 (Sunday)
Opening Hours: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM (8:00 PM on Fridays; Last entry 30 minutes before closing)
Closed: Mondays (Except for 1/8 and 2/12), 1/9 (Tuesday), 2/13 (Tuesday)
URL: https://tinyurl.com/2wa2wykm

Japan Society Gallery "Mu (No Merit): Zen Paintings from the Gitter-Yellen Collection"

The exhibition "Mu (No Merit): Zen Paintings from the Gitter-Yellen Collection" will take place at Japan Society Gallery in New York from March 8th (Friday) to June 16th (Sunday), 2024. This exhibition features works from the collection of Kurt Gitter and Alice Yelen Gitter, who reside in New Orleans, and is known as one of the world's foremost collections of Zen paintings. The collection includes diverse expressions of approximately 100 works, ranging from historical pieces to new creations, by 34 artists from Japan and around the world. The exhibited artworks, primarily ink paintings and calligraphy, contribute to the propagation of the captivating doctrines of Buddhism through the artistic expressions of monks who have made significant contributions.

Exhibition Period: March 8th (Friday) to June 16th (Sunday), 2024
Venue: Japan Society Gallery, New York
Image: "Time's Arrow" (2023) by Emiilya Shukarnuliete - Video Installation, 16 minutes
URL: https://tinyurl.com/srt2jxmf

Osaka Nakanoshima Art Museum "50 Years After Death: Heihachiro Fukuda"
The Osaka Nakanoshima Art Museum will host a major retrospective exhibition, "50 Years After Death: Heihachiro Fukuda," featuring the master of the modern Kyoto art scene. The exhibition will run from March 9th (Saturday) to May 6th (Monday, public holiday) in 2024. This exhibition marks a significant event, being the first large-scale retrospective of Heihachiro Fukuda in an Osaka museum, and the first in Kansai in 17 years. It will showcase high-quality works spanning from the early period to his later years, providing insight into the secrets of his creative process, including the display of vibrant sketches filled with emotions.

Exhibition Period: March 9th (Saturday) to May 6th (Monday, public holiday) in 2024

First Half: Until April 7th (Sunday)
Second Half: From April 9th (Tuesday)
There will be exhibit changes during the exhibition period.
Venue: Osaka Nakanoshima Art Museum, 4th-floor exhibition room
Closed on Mondays (Except for April 1st, 15th, 22nd, 29th, and May 6th, when the museum will be open)
Opening Hours: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (Last entry at 5:30 PM)
Admission Fee:

General: 1,800 (Advance/Special group rate: 1,600)
High School/University Students: 1,000 (Advance/Special group rate: 800)
Middle School Students and below: Free
URL: https://tinyurl.com/muyfpr7j
Advance tickets available until March 8th.

Kobe City Museum Special Exhibition "Colorful JAPAN: A Journey to Hand-Colored Photographs of the Bakumatsu and Meiji Era"

From March 30th (Saturday) to May 19th (Sunday) in 2024, the Kobe City Museum will host the special exhibition "Colorful JAPAN: A Journey to Hand-Colored Photographs of the Bakumatsu and Meiji Era." After Japan opened its doors to the world, individuals from various foreign countries began visiting during the Bakumatsu and Meiji periods. Responding to their demand to experience unknown Japanese culture, photographers such as Felice Beato, Raimund von Stillfried, Shuzaburo Usui, Kinbei Kusakabe, Adolfo Farsari, and Kozaburo Tamamura sold photographs capturing Japanese landmarks and customs.

These photographs were often meticulously hand-colored, resembling color photographs, and compiled into albums with luxurious lacquer covers. The careful selection of subjects, skillful composition, and beautiful coloring created an image not of the real Japan but of the mysterious "JAPAN" of the East. This exhibition will showcase around 150 hand-colored photographs and related materials from the Bakumatsu and Meiji periods, revealing the unique beauty of hand-colored photographs that continue to captivate people across generations, portraying the essence of "JAPAN."

Exhibition Period:
March 30th (Saturday) to May 19th (Sunday) for 45 days
First Half: March 30th (Saturday) to April 28th (Sunday)
Second Half: April 29th (Monday, public holiday) to May 19th (Sunday)
There will be changes in the exhibition of some works during the exhibition period.

Closed on Mondays and May 7th (Tuesday). However, open on April 29th (Monday, public holiday), and May 6th (Monday, substitute holiday).
Opening Hours: 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM (Until 7:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays)
Last entry to the exhibition room is 30 minutes before closing.

Venue: Kobe City Museum (24 Kyomachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe)
2nd Floor: Nanban Art Room, Special Exhibition Room 2, Gallery
1st Floor: Hall

Image: Exhibition main visual
URL: https://tinyurl.com/bdhjtvvp

Tokyo Art Museum "Soft and Hard: Shuichi Uehara Copperplate Print Exhibition"

At the Tokyo Art Museum, the "Soft and Hard: Shuichi Uehara Copperplate Print Exhibition" will be held for the period mentioned.

Explore the world of "copperplate prints," where the balance between the softness and hardness of copper must be mediated to reveal its essence. Enjoy the exhibition!

Exhibition Period: January 13th (Saturday) to March 31st (Sunday)
Hours: 11:00 AM to 6:30 PM (Last entry at 6:00 PM)
Closed: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays
Admission: General - 500yen, High School Students - 400yen, Middle/Elementary School Students - 300yen
Venue: Tokyo Art Museum
Organizer: Tokyo Art Museum
Planning: Plaza Foundation (Ueda)

Image: "My parcels on the table, under the table." (2019)
Copperplate Print, Drypoint, Aquatint, Collagraph, Collage, 78 x 58 cm
URL: http://www.tokyoartmuseum.com/

"Bruna Picture Book Exhibition"

From March 13th (Wednesday) to 25th (Monday) in 2024, the "Bruna Picture Book Exhibition" will be held at Daimaru Kyoto Store 6th floor, Daimaru Museum . This exhibition commemorates the 70th anniversary of Dick Bruna's picture books, created in 2023. Exploring beyond Miffy, the exhibition focuses on other works, such as the adventurous bear boy "Boris," the inspiration for the two hares "Poppy" from children in Bruna's class, the brave dog "Snuffy," and fairy tale series like "Snow White." It delves into Bruna's common design work and humor present in his picture book creations.

Exhibition Period: March 13th (Wednesday) to 25th (Monday)
Venue: Daimaru Museum , 6th floor of Daimaru Kyoto Store
Opening Hours: 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM (Closes at 7:00 PM on Fridays and Saturdays)
On the last day, closes at 5:00 PM (Last entry at 4:30 PM)

Illustrations Dick Bruna © copyright Mercis bv, 1953-2024 www.miffy.com
URL: https://l-tike.com/bruna.exhibit/kyoto/