Tokyo Weekender - October 2017

More documents

Recommendations

Info

ART & THEATER “CREATION IS A SOLITARY PURSUIT, LOVE IS WHAT BRINGS YOU CLOSER TO ART” Fans of the work of Yayoi Kusama, rejoice: a museum dedicated to the artist’s work opened this month. Along with a store selling articles that feature Kusama’s well known polka dots and other visual hallmarks and a floor dedicated to large-scale installation pieces, the inaugural exhibition at the Yayoi Kusama Museum will highlight the artist’s latest series of paintings, “My Eternal Soul.” However, fans be warned: due to the museum’s popularity, tickets are sold two months in advance, and they sell out very quickly. Yayoi Kusama Museum Until February 25, 2018 yayoikusamamuseum.jp Yayoi Kusama, Pumpkins Screaming about Love Beyond Infinity, 2017, mixed media, variable size, ©Yayoi Kusama THE ART WORLD OUR PICK OF THE CITY’S BEST EXHIBITIONS Compiled by Alec Jordan Metalwork, Kengo Takahashi, origin as a human, 2015 AMAZING CRAFTSMANSHIP! – FROM MEIJI KOGEI TO CONTEMPORARY ART When it comes to craftsmanship, Japan exists on a plane of its own. Over the centuries, artisans who work with metal, wood, ceramics, and other materials have collectively refined their techniques and redefined the boundaries of the possible. This exhibition looks at the fine line between craft and fine art, with colorful examples of Meiji period objects drawn from a variety of different disciplines and meticulously crafted pieces of modern art that are made with a skill and an attention to detail that would have made artisans of generations proud. Mitsui Memorial Museum Until December 3 www.mitsui-museum.jp/english/english.html 34 | OCTOBER 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER
German Von Bohn, The Death of Cleopatra, 1841, oil painting, Musee des Beaux-Arts, Nantes, France ©RMN-Grand Palais / Gérard Blot / distributed by AMF Portrait of Tadao Ando (Photo: Nobuyoshi Araki) FEAR IN PAINTING An exhibition that’s timed nicely for the spookiest time of year, this collection of paintings is inspired by a best-selling book, Kowai-e (Scary Paintings), which was penned by the art historian Kyoko Nakano. By and large, it’s a collection of modern European paintings and prints, which are arranged in thematic groupings such as myth, reality, and history. In some cases, the imagery of the works is enough to give you the shivers, while other pieces require a bit of a back story to send a chill up your spine. The Ueno Royal Museum Until December 17 www.kowaie.com T THEATER Held yearly, Festival/Tokyo is Japan’s leading performing arts festival and runs until November 12. The event hosts everything from outdoor performances to in-depth plays that probe pressing social issues. Here are three performances from the event that theater fans shouldn’t miss. CABARET CRUSADES Don’t let the fact that this is a puppet show fool you: this work uses the subject of the European military campaigns into the Holy Land centuries ago as a vehicle for understanding the tensions that are currently playing out in the Arab world today. Features a cast of traditional Arabic puppets, marionettes, and glass-blown models. GORILLA: WHAT IS HUMAN? Conceived by the theater group FAIFAI, this performance is filled with equal doses of humor and social consciousness. This work takes place at Ikebukuro Nishiguchi Park, and the star of the show is a man dressed in a gorilla suit, who is dancing to live music. Despite the seemingly silly setup, there’s more to the show than meets the eye, and must be seen to be understood. TADAO ANDO: ENDEAVORS Self-taught architect and former boxer Tadao Ando is a legend in the world of architecture, and his projects can be found around the world. Part of the 10th anniversary celebrations of The National Art Center, Tokyo, this exhibition gives visitors the opportunity to experience the imaginative power of this architectural heavyweight by looking at his early residential projects, his use of light and fascination with “void spaces,” some of his most ambitious creations, and many other facets of his work. Also on display will be a full-scale replica of Ando’s celebrated Church of the Light in Osaka. The National Art Center, Tokyo Until December 18 www.tadao-ando.com/ exhibition2017 IN OUR DISTANCE, THERE IS NO SOR- ROW This work is actually two plays in one, which are performed simultaneously in adjacent theaters. Taking the events of 3/11 as a basis, the linked plays are a meditation on the mental divides brought about by distance. A special ticket is available that allows two people to see both plays at the same time, or one person to see the two plays at separate times. More information at www.festival-tokyo.jp/en Photo Credits: Cabaret Crusades, ©Wael Shawky; Courtesy the Artist and Lisson Gallery. Gorilla: What is Human? Photo: Kazuya Kato. In our distance, there is no sorrow, Photo: Hideaki Hamada, Ivy Chen TOKYO WEEKENDER | OCTOBER 2017 | 35
Page 1: Japan’s number one English langua
Page 4 and 5: OCTOBER 2017 Publisher President Ex
Page 6 and 7: Where to find TOKYO WEEKENDER MAGAZ
Page 8 and 9: AREA GUIDE Words by Paul McInnes. P
Page 10 and 11: STYLE ALEXANDER WANG BAG Cross-body
Page 12 and 13: [ PROMOTION ] TRENDS EXPLORE JAPANE
Page 14 and 15: [ PROMOTION ] IMADEYA GINZA Founded
Page 16 and 17: Looking for a great place to eat, s
Page 18 and 19: [ PROMOTION ] FIND YOUR Trip 1: FOR
Page 20 and 21: [ PROMOTION ] Trip 3: FOR ADVENTURE
Page 22 and 23: [ PROMOTION ] 6 WAYS TO ENJOY FALL
Page 24 and 25: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A GEISHA Inter
Page 26 and 27: Not quite yet, but they are filling
Page 28 and 29: Words by Alec Jordan On the eve of
Page 30 and 31: The Future of Japanese Football Mee
Page 32 and 33: Dream Powder Words by Alec Jordan B
Page 36 and 37: 1 3 2 4 7 8 5 6 AGENDA: THE WEEKEND
Page 38 and 39: [ PROMOTION ] Six new cities, towns
Page 40 and 41: Looking for your next job in Japan?
Page 42 and 43: ONLY THE BEST WILL DO HOW THE BRITI
Page 44 and 45: The Moon and Beyond First on the sc
Page 46 and 47: Society TOKYO’S LONGEST RUNNING S
Page 48 and 49: FORSYTH’S PERUVIAN NATIONAL DAY A
Page 50: [ PROMOTION ] Whether you’re just

Tokyo Weekender - October 2017

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?