The recent earthquake forced us to delay the Weekender’s Art Special; we would like to apologize to our sponsors for any incovenience caused. In the meantime, the Weekender’s resident art critic LG Williams takes us on a tour of his favorite galleries.
Large Museum: Mori Art Museum
Opened in October 2003 at a place visible throughout Tokyo—the top of Roppongi’s Mori Building. The Mori Art Museum strives to be a place for enjoyment, stimulation and discussion—a place where what is important in our culture and society is openly debated, not only through the exhibitions that are shown there but also through a wide range of public programs. It engages an audience ranging from young schoolchildren to senior citizens, from people living in the local community to the whole region and around the world.
Large Gallery: SCAI The Bathhouse
This contemporary art gallery is known for introducing Japan’s avant-garde artists to the world as well as for helping exceptional artists from abroad to establish a presence in Japan. SCAI has a strong track-record of large-scale exhibitions presenting artists such as Lee Ufan and Tadanori Yokoo, who led the genesis of Japanese contemporary art, and Toshikatsu Endo, Tatsuo Miyajima, and Mariko Mori, who brought Japanese contemporary art to the world’s attention in the latter half of the ‘80s and the ‘90s by showing their works in international exhibitions.
Non-Profit: Tokyo Wonder Site
An art center dedicated to the generation and promotion of new art and culture from the heart of Tokyo. TWS Hongo supports and nurtures young talent in all fields through programs related to the government-hosted “Tokyo Wonder Wall” exhibition of works chosen by the general public. TWS Shibuya is a hub in a global cultural network of affiliated cultural facilities in Japan and abroad, and at once a platform for both new talents and internationally active creators to exchange and showcase their works.
Underground Gallery: TANA
This tiny rectangular cube is designed to accommodate and archive exhibitions as modular units exportable to the shelves of, for instance, libraries, book stores, museums or your gallery. TANA is an independent gallery indifferent to commercialism, sensational hypes and pedantic critiques; commerce is possible without commercialism.
New Tokyo Gallery: The Container
A shipping container inside Bross hair salon in Nakameguro which has been converted into a new Tokyo exhibition space. The Container will host four exhibitions a year (each for approximately two and half months) of both local Japanese artists and foreign international artists. Because of the constraints of the space, the shows are all installation based.
Read LG Williams’ interview with “Exit Through the Gift Shop” star ‘Mr. Brainwash’ here.
