Osaka Art & Design 2024: Unleashing Creativity Across the Cityscape, A Four-Week Art Extravaganza Across 50 Venues
Osaka Art & Design (OAD) is returning for its second year! From May 29 to June 25, 2024, you can expect an extraordinary four-week extravaganza that will transform the streets of Osaka into a sprawling canvas of art and design. This vibrant event will invite visitors to immerse themselves in a dynamic showcase across 50 venues throughout the city.
Osaka Art & Design (OAD) is returning for its second year! From May 29 to June 25, 2024, you can expect an extraordinary four-week extravaganza that will transform the streets of Osaka into a sprawling canvas of art and design. This vibrant event will invite visitors to immerse themselves in a dynamic showcase across 50 venues throughout the city.
The heart of OAD will be the bustling north-south avenue from Umeda to Namba, where a diverse array of passionate creators will captivate audiences with their unique artistic expressions. From galleries to boutiques, attendees can discover and appreciate a rich tapestry of artworks, furniture pieces, and fashion items. What's more, many of these remarkable creations will be available for purchase, offering a rare opportunity for art enthusiasts and collectors to own a piece of this vibrant event.
Building upon the resounding success of its inaugural year, which drew 50 exhibitors, 150 artists and designers, and over 80,000 visitors, OAD 2024 aims to elevate the festival to new heights with expanded support and participation from hosting organizations.
This year's event, "Expanding Resonance," is a call for participants to forge meaningful connections and embrace diversity. By candidly expressing themselves and breaking free from conventions, they can unleash fresh energy and creativity in Osaka's vibrant urban landscape. The event aims to create an atmosphere of dynamic collaboration and exploration, where unexpected synergies can flourish, and new opportunities can arise.
As Osaka gears up for Expo 2025, the city is alive with a unique vibrancy, drawing creators from across Japan, particularly the Kansai region, to converge at OAD. This annual spectacle not only celebrates Osaka's rich cultural identity but also serves as a global showcase of the city's creative prowess. Through collaborative efforts with department stores, galleries, and businesses spanning Kita to Minami, OAD is positioning Osaka as a beacon of creativity and innovation on the world stage, and we invite you to be part of this exciting journey.
![Products Born from the International Furniture Design Competition [IFDA]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5260d046e4b0c0ba62540470/1715321138946-O5VGV1EG95VAP9PIIEMA/11_%E3%82%AB%E3%83%B3%E3%83%87%E3%82%A3%E3%83%8F%E3%82%A6%E3%82%B9.jpg)
The Osaka Art & Design 2024, a highly anticipated event, will redefine the city's artistic landscape with its captivating programs. The Hankyu Department Store Osaka Umeda Main Store, one of the hosts, will present the Hankyu Art Fair 2024. This platform is not just an exhibition but a marketplace for remarkable artworks. It will feature creations by renowned artists like Kohei Nawa, Daisuke Ohba, and Mika Shinagawa, each with their unique style and perspective, alongside emerging talents. The fair's goal is to not only showcase these artworks but also to make art a part of everyday life, a norm rather than an exception.
The Hankyu Department Store Osaka Umeda Main Store is among the hosts presenting the Hankyu Art Fair 2024. This platform will exhibit and sell remarkable artworks created by renowned artists such as Kohei Nawa, Daisuke Ohba, and Mika Shinagawa alongside emerging talents. The goal of the fair is not only to showcase these artworks but also to normalize the integration of art into everyday life.
As an official program of OAD 2024, HIZO Market stands as a testament to innovation, showcasing prototypes and treasured works that have undergone rigorous experimentation and refinement. This market seeks to cultivate a new creation market, showcasing the ingenuity and dedication of creators in their quest for artistic excellence.
The multitude of individual events under OAD 2024's banner is set to unveil new horizons in art and design, offering attendees a unique opportunity to explore the diverse and dynamic creative landscape of Osaka. With a mission to showcase Osaka's exceptional creativity to the world and breathe new life into the art and design scene of the Kansai region, OAD 2024 is not just an event but a platform for fostering meaningful connections and interactions between individuals, artworks, and ideas. Your participation is crucial in making this mission a success.
The OAD 2024 Executive Committee supports these encounters and interactions, nurturing resonance and connections that inspire further growth and development in Osaka's proud creative legacy. We eagerly anticipate your participation in this celebration of creativity and innovation at Osaka Art & Design 2024.
About Osaka Art & Design 2024
Period: May 29 (Wednesday) to June 25 (Tuesday), 2024, for 4 weeks
Concept: Resonance—Expanding the Echo
Areas: Umeda, Dojima, Nakanoshima, Tenma, Kyomachibori, Minami-Senba, Shinsaibashi, Namba, and other locations within Osaka City
Venues: Open spaces, galleries, shops, department stores, commercial facilities
Organizer: Osaka Art & Design 2024 Executive Committee
Osaka Terminal Building Co., Ltd.,Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores Co., Ltd., Osaka Store of Takashimaya Co., Ltd.,Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores Inc.,
Nankai Electric Railway Co. Ltd., andHankyu Corporation
(Business agent: Hankyu Hanshin Properties Corp.) Umeda 1-chome Area Management
Exhibitors: Creators (artists, designers), brands, galleries, shops, and other facilities/corporations from Japan and abroad (about 50 places)
Producer: General Producer Akio Aoki (DESIGNART)
"Structural Design" within Realm of Architecture exhibition by WHAT MUSEUM
The WHAT MUSEUM, hosted by Warehouse TERRADA, presents "Sense of Structure: From Horyuji Temple to the Universe," from April 26 to August 25, 2024.
This one-of-a-kind exhibition illuminates the world of Structural Design, a pioneering framework of architecture. It takes you on a journey from the world's oldest surviving wooden building, the five-storied Pagoda at Horyuji Temple, to the future with lunar base camps. With over 100 structural models from renowned architectural masterpieces, this exhibition is a celebration of the innovative field of "structural design," the backbone of building frameworks.
The WHAT MUSEUM, hosted by Warehouse TERRADA, presents "Sense of Structure: From Horyuji Temple to the Universe," from April 26 to August 25, 2024.
This one-of-a-kind exhibition illuminates the world of Structural Design, a pioneering framework of architecture. It takes you on a journey from the world's oldest surviving wooden building, the five-storied Pagoda at Horyuji Temple, to the future with lunar base camps. With over 100 structural models from renowned architectural masterpieces, this exhibition is a celebration of the innovative field of "structural design," the backbone of building frameworks.
While Japan boasts numerous globally acclaimed architects, the pivotal role of structural engineers often goes unnoticed. These engineers, crucial in realizing architects' visions by meticulously engaging with materials and the dynamics of forces such as gravity and wind, are instrumental in shaping structures that resonate with their era and society.
Don't be intimidated by the world of specialized structural design. This exhibition is designed to make it accessible and engaging. You'll have the opportunity to interact with and understand architectural "frameworks" through interactive models, providing a hands-on introduction to their principles.
As sustainability becomes a global concern, the latter part of our exhibition shines a spotlight on wooden architecture, a building material that's gaining prominence for its eco-friendliness. From Japan's traditional techniques to cutting-edge innovations, this segment explores the historical significance of wooden structures while contemplating the future of wooden architecture.
Immerse yourself in the expansive reach of structural design through interdisciplinary collaborations in fashion, space exploration, and beyond. With a substantial refresh of exhibits and over 100 structural models on display, our exhibition offers a comprehensive exploration of architectural marvels that will leave you inspired.
Highlights of the exhibition include:
A diverse collection of over 100 valuable structural models, offering a panoramic view of Japan's architectural history spanning more than 1,400 years.
Interactive models, including a 1/10 scale replica of the five-storied Pagoda at Horyuji Temple (approximately 3.6m tall), providing a tactile understanding of structural scale and mechanics.
Prepare to be astounded by the unveiling of a groundbreaking full-scale model of a "lunar Base Camp." This awe-inspiring creation, designed for human habitation on the Moon, is the result of a monumental collaboration with JAXA (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency) and renowned structural engineer Jun Sato and his team.
A comprehensive showcase of over 50 structural engineers, showcasing emerging talents alongside established names from Japan.
Innovative collaborations between fashion and structural design, featuring HOMME PLISSE ISSEY MIYAKE.
Message rom the Curator:
We humans have lived in a world subject to seismic force, wind force, and other natural forces. How have we designed the flow of forces in architecture on this planet? In the world of structural design, structural engineers have been working diligently with such flow of forces and materials in a gravitational space called the Earth and have merged technologies and art in the changing times and society. This exhibition showcases Japan’s structural engineers and structural design, which are pivotal in the creation of architecture, from traditional Japanese wooden structures and contemporary wooden architecture to space structures, articulated through four themes to highlight the expansive reach of structural design. Vistors can engage with structural models and feel the architecture firsthand, gaining insight into the forces that sculpt our environment and connecting these experiences with their own sensibilities. They can also experience the creative possibilities of structural design and its philosophy behind structural design as a form of creative expression. We eagerly invite a diverse audience to experience the world of structural design through their senses.
About the Exhibition:
SENSE OF STRUCTURE: From Horyuji Temple To The Universe
Date: April 26 - August 25, 2024.
Venue: 1st and 2nd floors at WHAT MUSEUM (Warehouse TERRADA G BUILDING, 2-6-10 Higashi-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 140-0002.
Open Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM (Admission until 5:00 PM)
Closed on : Monday (but open when Monday is a public holiday, then closed the following Tuesday)
Admission: Adults 1,500 yen/ University or vocational college students 800 yen/ Students under high school age (Free)
Advance reservation by online ticketing is available: https://ticket-what.warehouseofart.org
I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture at M+ Museum Hong Kong
M+ will present the first major retrospective of I. M. Pei (1917–2019), one of the greatest architects of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Pei’s high-profile projects were realised over seven decades with an exceptionally wide geographic reach, including Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, the modernisation of the Grand Louvre in Paris, the National Gallery of Art East Building in Washington, D.C., and Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. These iconic landmarks solidified Pei’s prominent position in architectural history and popular culture
Giovanna Silva. A bride’s photoshoot captured from Passage Richelieu at the Grand Louvre in Paris, 2021 Photo commissioned by M+
M+ will present the first major retrospective of I. M. Pei (1917–2019), one of the greatest architects of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Pei’s high-profile projects were realised over seven decades with an exceptionally wide geographic reach, including Bank of China Tower in Hong Kong, the modernisation of the Grand Louvre in Paris, the National Gallery of Art East Building in Washington, D.C., and Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. These iconic landmarks solidified Pei’s prominent position in architectural history and popular culture. His life and work weave together a tapestry of power dynamics, geopolitical complexities, cultural traditions, and the character of cities around the world. I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture properly appraises for the first time the work of this pivotal Chinese American architect, whose transcultural vision laid a foundation for the contemporary world.
Architect Ieoh Ming Pei, selected to design the JFK Memorial Library. © John Loengard / The LIFE Picture Collection / Shutterstock
The exhibition takes an expanded and closer look at Pei’s practice through six themes representing areas of focus and approaches throughout his career: ‘Transcultural Foundations’, ‘Real Estate and Urban Redevelopment’, ‘Art and Civic Form’, ‘Material and Structural Innovation’, ‘Power, Politics, and Patronage’, and ‘Regenerating Cultural and Historical Archetypes’. They reveal how Pei navigated regional and local contexts, defined architecture as a facilitator for cultural production and formation of civic space, Page 9 of 16 and investigated new interpretations of tradition. The themes place Pei’s practice in close dialogue with social, cultural, and biographical trajectories that show architecture and life to be inseparable. Realised through over five years of preparation, the exhibition features a rich selection of drawings, sketches, videos, models, photographs, and other archival documentation, many of which will be on view for the first time.
To lend a contemporary lens to Pei’s work, the exhibition presents newly commissioned photographs of Pei’s iconic and lesser-known buildings by a new generation of photographers: South Ho, Naho Kubota, Lee Kuo-min, Giovanna Silva, Mohamed Somji, Tian Fangfang, and Yoneda Tomoko. Architectural models of Pei’s built and unbuilt projects are also made in collaboration with architecture schools at The University of Hong Kong and The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Mohamed Somji: View of the faceted central structure of the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, 2022
Photo commissioned by M+
Exhibition details
I. M. Pei: Life Is Architecture is curated by Shirley Surya, Curator, Design and Architecture, M+ and Aric Chen, General and Artistic Director of Het Nieuwe Instituut, Netherlands, assisted by Naomi Altman, Curatorial Assistant, M+ and Iris Ng, Curatorial Assistant, M+.
Opening in: June 2024
Location: West Gallery, M+
For more information, please visit: https://www.mplus.org.hk/en/exhibitions/i-m-pei-life-is-architecture/
Kang Myonghi: The Colors of Time
In a momentous stride, VILLEPIN inaugural exhibition in Seoul, "Kang Myonghi: The Colors of Time," has emerged as a resounding success, laying the foundation for a captivating chapter in our artistic journey through Korea.
In a momentous stride, VILLEPIN inaugural exhibition in Seoul, "Kang Myonghi: The Colors of Time," has emerged as a resounding success, laying the foundation for a captivating chapter in our artistic journey through Korea.
Behind the Scenes with Curators
In an exclusive video feature, co-curators Arthur de Villepin and Dominique de Villepin invite art enthusiasts on a journey into the heart of Myonghi's artistic odyssey. Unveiling the layers of Myonghi's rare artistic commitment amidst an era of unprecedented change, the video explores her travels from the Gobi Desert to the glaciers of Patagonia, where she seeks the primordial origins of our times.
A Global Trailblazer
Kang Myonghi, a trailblazing painter, has left an indelible mark as the first Korean female artist exhibited in top-tier museums and international institutions. From Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris to the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, her artistic footprint spans the globe. Alongside her husband Setaik Yim, she founded the iconic Musée de Séoul in 1981, South Korea's pioneering Museum of Art.
Vibrant Compositions
Myonghi's latest compositions weave a vibrant tapestry, echoing her cultural heritage with vivid colors and intricate brushwork. Each stroke resonates with the essence of Korean and Asian landscapes, traditions, and spirituality.
International Presence
Myonghi's artistic journey has graced esteemed institutions, including the Beijing National Art Museum, Ningbo Museum of Art, Shanghai Museum of Art, and Beijing Art Museum of Imperial City in China. Her recent solo exhibition in Qingdao, coinciding with Antony Gormley’s showcase at the TAG museum in 2023, stands as a testament to her enduring influence.
A Legacy of Firsts
A pioneer in breaking barriers, Myonghi showcased her solo exhibition at Centre Georges Pompidou in 1986 and contributed to the World Expo in Daejeon, South Korea, in 1993. Her visionary spirit continues to shape the artistic landscape.
For more information, please visit: https://www.villepinart.com
Alberto Venzago: Stylist of Reality
For over five decades, Alberto Venzago has been using his Leica camera to capture the world through a diverse range of subjects and photographic genres. From documentary reportages to staged scenes, his body of work reflects a deep exploration of human experiences. The retrospective exhibition at the Ernst Leitz Museum in Wetzlar, Germany, featuring around 150 photographs, offers a captivating glimpse into Venzago's rich and varied portfolio. Running until May 14th, 2023, this exhibition showcases the depth and breadth of his artistic vision.
Retrospective of the Swiss photographer at the Ernst Leitz Museum in Wetzlar, Germany
For over five decades, Alberto Venzago has been using his Leica camera to capture the world through a diverse range of subjects and photographic genres. From documentary reportages to staged scenes, his body of work reflects a deep exploration of human experiences. The retrospective exhibition at the Ernst Leitz Museum in Wetzlar, Germany, featuring around 150 photographs, offers a captivating glimpse into Venzago's rich and varied portfolio. Running until May 14th, 2023, this exhibition showcases the depth and breadth of his artistic vision.
Venzago's globetrotting lifestyle took him to various corners of the world, including Australia, Japan, and New York, before returning to his home country of Switzerland. Throughout his journeys, he documented powerful stories and significant events, ranging from the Iranian Revolution to deforestation in the rainforest, from child prostitution in Manila to voodoo ceremonies in Benin. His fearless approach often brought him into perilous situations, as he strived to capture the essence of his subjects up close. People have always been at the heart of his award-winning reportages, which have been widely published.
Beyond his photojournalistic endeavors, Venzago's expertise extends to professional studio photography, where he has created iconic and visually stunning advertising campaigns. His portfolio includes striking portraits of international celebrities such as Tina Turner, Penelope Cruz, Sting, and Mick Jagger, showcasing the diversity of his creative output. The interplay between documentary and staged photography has been a defining characteristic of his career.
The exhibition in Wetzlar provides a comprehensive overview of Venzago's work, highlighting key milestones such as his series on the Yakuza, the voodoo cult, and a collection of captivating celebrity portraits. The showcase also includes a selection of his films, underscoring his talent as a film director.
Reflecting on his acclaimed Yakuza series, Venzago recalls being the only photographer granted such intimate access to the criminal organization. His trustworthiness and dedication earned him acceptance, allowing him to delve deep into their world. The project became a long-term exploration rather than a mere journalistic scoop. Venzago's commitment to depth and authenticity was evident to the Yakuza from the start, resulting in unprecedented access.
Renowned filmmaker Wim Wenders lauds Venzago's Voodoo project, describing it as a unique and unparalleled visual experience. Distilled from twelve years of remarkable encounters, over 100 hours of video footage, and thousands of negatives, Venzago's work transcends traditional boundaries, offering an extraordinary perspective on the subject matter.
Alberto Venzago's exhibition invites viewers to immerse themselves in the power of his images, to witness the extraordinary and the intimate, and to appreciate the lifelong dedication he has invested in capturing the essence of the human experience.
Albert Venzago biography: Alberto Venzago is a Swiss photographer, photojournalist, and filmmaker born on 10 February 1950. He decided to teach himself photography in his mid-20s after studying remedial education and clarinet. He quickly gained success, spending four years working for the Magnum Photos Agency with his work published in the likes of Life, Stern, and Geo and moving effortlessly between photojournalistic documentation, independent artistic creation, and advertising. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the renowned ICP Infinity Award. Venzago lives and works in Zurich.
More at www.venzago.com
About Leica Store Hong Kong Causeway Bay
“Leica Store Hong Kong Causeway Bay” is Hong Kong’s first flagship store on Pak Sha Road in Causeway Bay, a destination bringing together premium cameras, coffee, lifestyle products and artworks in the city. Designed by renowned design studio LAAB Architects, through the integration of Hong Kong’s cultural characteristics and photographic elements, the flagship provides a new and extraordinary photographic art experience for Leica customers and photographers. The art gallery regularly exhibits works of famous international and local photographers, allowing people to enjoy shopping and a variety of fun activities.
About Leica Camera – A Partner for Photography
Leica Camera AG is an international, premium manufacturer of cameras and sports optics. The legendary reputation of the Leica brand is based on a long tradition of excellent quality, German craftsmanship and German industrial design, combined with innovative technologies. An integral part of the brand's culture is the diversity of activities the company undertakes for the advancement of photography. In addition to the Leica Galleries and Leica Akademies spread around the world, there are the Leica Hall of Fame Award and, in particular, the Leica Oskar Barnack Award (LOBA), which is considered one of the most innovative sponsorship awards existing today. Furthermore, Leica Camera AG, with its headquarters in Wetzlar, Hessen, and a second production site in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal, has a worldwide network of its own national organizations and Leica Retail Stores.
Official Facebook page of Leica Camera Hong Kong: Leica Camera
Official Instagram page of Leica Camera Hong Kong: leicacamerahk
MARIE DE VILLEPIN: MURMURATION
Murmuration, the debut solo exhibition of Marie de Villepin in Hong Kong, opening on November 17th, 2022.Through her art we are entering in the enchanted world of fierce gestures and roaring sound created by ballet birds in the sky. Marie captures the grace and energy of such moments through colors, shapes and rhythm.
Marie de Villepin, Year of the Tiger, 2022, 215 x 298 cm. Photo courtesy of Villepin.
Villepin is pleased to present Murmuration, the debut exhibition of Marie de Villepin in Hong Kong, marking her first major solo exhibition in Asia. The title Murmuration originally describes the enchanting gesture and roaring sound created by ballet birds in the sky in certain seasons. In a similar movement to these birds, Marie captures the energy of various worlds where her multifaceted practice has long experimented with intrinsic expressions through colours, shapes, and rhythm.
For Marie, the canvas is not so much a conventional painting material as an all-receptive medium, a tabula rasa, on which she lays down her diverse ideas and personal experiences, expressed more often by the harmony of colours than by any preordained meaning of figures. After spending much of her life abroad, moving from one culture to another, Marie began sketching, not only to capture the colour or emotion of a moment, but also to ward off the dizziness of frantic change in the passing of life and time.
Her paintings are expansive configurations of spatial experimentations that articulate abstraction as an ever-shifting field. She draws upon ideas from different states and times to explore the spatial relation of each form and the space in between. Shifting and unraveling layers of paint, each figure and shape appear and recede in a multiplicity of directions, drawing viewers among unknown territories and experiences.
In her works, music plays a key role generating a certain rhythm of swaths of brushstrokes that diverge and converge. Where does it begin? Where does it lead us to? Marie’s works explore the importance of mobility and memory, and the relentless changes in forms, where identities, communities, and technologies in this postmodern world can at once be aggressive, oppressive, and repulsive. Through her works, she questions the key issues of our time and introduces new paths through her imagination with its own words and music, in which motifs are repeated, rhythms impart textures, and sounds alternate with voids, stringing together chords and sublimating emotions.
Today, there is a general tendency to follow a certain opinion or a predesigned algorithm, to swarm in the same direction of a multitude. In a constantly overstimulated world of configurations of layers, the urge to find order, meaning and perhaps beauty, within chaotic conditions becomes more palpable. Marie’s works reintroduce us to a new path of discovery through a deep amalgamation of formal aesthetics that encompass her travels and experiences, one that is deeply allegorical and personal.
In the spirit of "Murmuration," the exhibition will adopt an evolutive nature, beginning with Marie’s works and gradually evolving to take its own shape. In addition to paintings and drawings, personal stories and inspirations from art, music, film, and photography that influenced her creative practice, will also transform the exhibition, transporting viewers onto a temporal visual as well as auditory voyage.
Exhibition Opening: 17 November 2022 - March 2023
Space: 53-55 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong
(By Appointment only)
About the Artist
Marie de Villepin in her studio, 2022, photo by Louis Stimes. Courtesy of Villepin.
Born in 1986 in Washington, D.C., Marie de Villepin grew up in the United States and in India. Art was a constant feature in her upbringing as she began developing her musical and drawing skills throughout her frequent travels, filling dozens of notebooks, which allowed her to fix moments and emotions as a chronicle of her life. Growing up in a diplomatic household, Marie had the chance to surround herself with a prominent circle of poets, musicians, filmmakers, and painters including Zao Wou-Ki, a family friend. She was inspired by influential post-war American artists, including Willem de Kooning, Cy Twombly, Joan Mitchell, and Philip Guston. In particular, she admired the musicality, freedom, and capacity for transcendence in their works.
In 2005, Marie moved to New York, and then to Los Angeles, where she developed various musical projects, before devoting herself entirely to painting. In search to deepen links between colours, sounds and rhythm, she took a decisive step to transcribe her inner world onto canvas: painting what she sees and where she lived in a way perhaps to ward off exile, loneliness and doubts through an accumulation of brushstrokes. Gradually, her whole world started taking shape, complete with imaginary landscapes, creatures, and machines of all sorts. Her works trace through space and time, oscillating between figuration and abstraction.
Marie has participated in a number of group exhibitions in New York, Los Angeles, Beijing, and Hong Kong. In 2019 she presented her first solo exhibition titled New Creatures, which marked her return to Paris. In March of 2022 after the pandemic, she presented The Lost Weekend a combination of works made in the United States and in France. In June, Marie was selected as one of the twelve artists to receive Le Prix Antoine Marin. The prize is presented by the gallery Julio Gonzalez in Paris, where each young artist is nominated by a renowned artist: Marie was nominated by Anselm Kiefer. She is currently working on a major institutional exhibition scheduled for 2023 at a museum in China.
M+ first Special Exhibition, Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now
M+, Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual culture in the West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong, is pleased to announce the museum’s first Special Exhibition: Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now, to be opened on M+’s first anniversary, 12 November 2022 (Saturday) through 14 May 2023 (Sunday), with HSBC as Lead Sponsor. M+ also announces the ticketing arrangements for General Admission and Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now, both of which take effect on 12 November 2022 (Saturday), and unveils its programme of exhibitions for the second year of opening.
M+, Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual culture in the West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong, is pleased to announce the museum’s first Special Exhibition: Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now, to be opened on M+’s first anniversary, 12 November 2022 (Saturday) through 14 May 2023 (Sunday), with HSBC as Lead Sponsor. M+ also announces the ticketing arrangements for General Admission and Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now, both of which take effect on 12 November 2022 (Saturday), and unveils its programme of exhibitions for the second year of opening.
M+ celebrates its first anniversary with a Special Exhibition by visionary artist Yayoi Kusama
Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now is the largest retrospective of renowned artist Yayoi Kusama in Asia outside Japan, featuring more than 200 works from major collections from museums and private collections in Asia, Europe, and the United States, the M+ Collection, as well as from the artist’s own collection. Co-curated by Doryun Chong, Deputy Director, Curatorial and Chief Curator, M+, and Mika Yoshitake, independent curator, the exhibition introduces a new interpretative approach to Kusama’s over seven-decade career and invites viewers to discover the transformative power of art. The retrospective highlights the core aesthetic elements of Kusama’s work and foregrounds her recurring philosophical questions about life and death and her longing for interconnectedness. The exhibition explores how Kusama has become a global cultural icon who creates vital and influential work to this day.
Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director, M+, says, ‘M+ has achieved unprecedented success in its first year of opening on 12 November 2021. Notwithstanding the temporary closure of the museum from January to April this year due to the pandemic, it has already welcomed over 1.53 million visitors. This strong show of public support is a testament to the museum’s role in transforming and enriching the cultural ecology in Hong Kong and Asia and making contemporary visual culture more accessible to all. We are proud to present Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now to our audiences, as the internationally acclaimed artist’s cross-disciplinary and global art practice resonates with the essence of what M+ offers. We look forward to another splendid year ahead with a terrific line-up of exhibitions and programmes.’
Organised chronologically and thematically, and spanning from Kusama’s earliest work to her most recent output, Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now features a wide range of paintings, installations, sculptures, drawings, collages, moving images, and archival materials. The exhibition examines Kusama's practice as it developed in Japan, the United States, Europe, and beyond through six themes: Infinity, Accumulation, Radical Connectivity, Biocosmic, Death, and Force of Life.
The exhibition presents three brand-new works to audiences for the first time. Death of Nerves (2022) is a large-scale installation commissioned by M+. Installed in the Lightwell that connects the museum’s ground floor and the basement levels and draping down to the Found Space on the B2 level, the work can be viewed from multiple vantages throughout the M+ building. Dots Obsession—Aspiring to Heaven's Love (2022), presented in The Studio on the B2 level, is an ambitious immersive environment that includes one of the artist’s signature mirrored spaces. Two large sculptures titled Pumpkin (2022) will be available for public viewing in the Main Hall on the ground floor.
“Yayoi Kusama is one of the most influential and inspiring artists of our time. Her Asian roots, transnational history, as well as her singular artistic language and philosophy that she has developed from the 1940s to now, have all contributed to making her the leading cultural figure she is now globally. This is the first time in Greater China the full trajectory of Kusama’s art is presented in a comprehensive retrospective exhibition providing a holistic and unique perspective on the accomplishments of this visionary artist.”
To accompany the exhibition, Thames & Hudson will publish Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now in collaboration with M+. Edited by Doryun Chong and Mika Yoshitake, this comprehensive and richly illustrated 400-page publication features contributions by the editors as well as Isabella Tam, Associate Curator, Visual Art, M+, and Alex A. Jones, independent researcher and writer. The publication is a collection of curatorial essays, thematic texts, a visual chronology of Kusama’s life, a roundtable discussion with leading authorities in the field, and a selection of poetry, manifestoes, past interviews, and previously unpublished artist writings. Both English and Chinese editions are available for pre-order at the M+ Shop online starting from 15 September 2022. In addition, a series of public programmes will be available throughout the exhibition period. Visitors are invited to dive deeper into Kusama’s art practice with curators’ talks, screenings, and family-friendly activities with details to be announced later. For further details about Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now, please refer to the fact sheet at Appendix 1.
Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now is supported by HSBC, Lead Sponsor, together with HKT as Major Sponsor, Louis Vuitton and The Macallan as Supporting Sponsors and Cathay Pacific as Airline Partner of the exhibition.
“M+’s exhibition sheds new light on Yayoi Kusama’s art philosophy and life. Kusama has transformed her personal experiences—the challenges she has faced in her career, as well as her lifelong battle with mental health—into a creative force through the regenerative power of healing amidst our global pandemic era. We are delighted to introduce audiences to this artist’s profound vision through new thematic trajectories as well a newly commissioned work.”
M+ announces ticket arrangements after first anniversary
Admission fees to M+ exhibitions are waived for the first year since its opening on 12 November 2021. All visitors can enjoy free admission to M+ exhibitions until 11 November 2022 (Friday). Thanks to the overwhelming support of the local community, as of 14 September 2022 (Wednesday), more than 1.53 million visitors have visited M+ for free. Starting from its first anniversary on 12 November 2022, visitors are required to purchase tickets in advance to access all M+ exhibitions, except for Hong Kong: Here and Beyond, one of the museum’s opening exhibitions presented in the Main Hall Gallery on the ground floor, which will maintain free access for the public during its exhibition period until June 2023.
General Admission tickets are priced at HK$120 for adults and HK$60 for visitors eligible for concessionary fare, which entitle them to visit all M+ exhibitions except Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now on B2 level and in West Gallery on the second floor; whereas Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now tickets, which allow visitors access to all galleries, are priced at HK$240 for adults and HK$150 for concession. Admission to Pumpkin (2022) and Hong Kong: Here and Beyond on the ground floor and the B1 level of the museum respectively will be free of charge.
Tickets for both General Admission and Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now for the period from 12 November 2022 (Saturday) to 31 January 2023 (Tuesday) will be available for online purchase starting from 10am on 13 October 2022 (Thursday). M+ Members and Patrons can enjoy priority booking for tickets to Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to Now during the Priority Booking period from 29 September 2022 (Thursday) to 12 October 2022 (Wednesday). For further details about M+ tickets, please refer to M+ and West Kowloon Cultural District websites and the fact sheet at Appendix 2. Further details will be announced in the first half of October 2022.
Visitors are encouraged to seize the last chance to book their free visit to M+ until 11 November 2022 (Friday) via the designated online booking platform.