Categories
Art Events

Kitty Ex.

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Yesterday marked the 30th anniversary of Hello Kitty, or as Momus refers to her, that “silly milquetoast beast.”

Contemporary art works featuring popular feline character “Hello Kitty” were shown to the press Friday in Tokyo before the official opening Saturday of an exhibition commemorating the 30th anniversary of the cat brand.

More than 100 Japanese and overseas artists, designers and musicians provided a variety of Hello Kitty works including pictures, visual images, installation and print art to the exhibition “Kitty Ex.,” which will be held until late August in two venues in Tokyo; Roppongi Hills complex and Laforet Harajuku building. (Kyodo News)

Official site for the exhibition.

Update: An article from THE DAILY YOMIURI.

Categories
Art Events

Art Flea Market

While one can’t quite say “money is everything the world over”, money problems are always an issue in art-related endeavors. The money it takes to create art, the monetary value of art. A flea market exploring the relationship between art and money: shop and think about “art and economics”. The variety of booths range from Group 1965 artists to Nakamura Kengo, Grinderman and Matsumoto Chikara. You might just find an unexpected treasure! Part 2, which starts in the evening, is dedicated to Kondo Kei’s “Outdoor bowling lane-making project in Sarajevo”: what got that ball rolling?! The evening includes video documentary of the project and a talk show. (REALTOKYO)

It happens August 7 in Shinjuku. More info here (in Japanese).

Categories
Art Magazines

Audrey Fondecave

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Tokyo resident Audrey Fondecave acts as the editor of the culture magazine OK FRED (contrary to popular belief, it’s not just about music, as the last few issues have suggested), and is also an illustrator and photographer for the Slidelab group. On top of this, she works in fashion design, and has done various art installations. Go to the following site and check the “Eye” section, where you’ll find some of her works. The cover of the third issue of OK FRED was also done by her.

And while on the subject of OK FRED, Mathieu Briand will be creating some sound art at the launch party for the next issue, and he has a very nice site worth exploring.

Categories
Art Photography

Suzuki Nao

Suzuki Nao is an artist that attacks all mediums: video, photography (traditional and mobile), painting, sculptures… She’s done VJ performances, and had a few gallery shows already. Based in Yokohama, where she shares a studio space (Ateliero-Eksperimentoj) with a band, she is currently preparing some video work for a contest. Robert wrote this about her a while back:

Nao is a twenty-something, art making (video + photo + object + painting, etc.) young woman who lives in the Yokohama area and maintains a studio (Ateliero-Eksperimentoj) with two of her friends (both musicians). I first became aware of her activities after the indefatigable Ludo Pierre (French sound & visual artist based in Tokyo) introduced me to her last year, as we were all to appear together (along with Midori and other friends) at one of his soundscreen events. Nao seems to have worked in the past with more or less ‘traditional’ mediums, but has been making a move recently to more ‘normative’ (i.e. digital) modes of expression. Personally speaking, I’ve only seen her in action in her ‘video artist/VJ mode’ at a few events in the Shibuya area. She seems to have found a comfortable niche in the international experimental arts community in Tokyo, and this due in no small part to her diverse, refreshingly sensual art.

Do yourself a favor and check out her site for examples of her work.

Categories
Art Events

Propaganda at Todai

I should maybe go have a look at this thing: “Propaganda 1904-1945: Between Modernism and Totalitarianism.” It’s at Todai’s University Museum, at the Hongo campus, so it would be easy enough to drop by next time I go there with Yuko. Admission is free. The ASAHI SHIMBUN has an article on the show.

Categories
Art Events

Japan Avantgarde

If you happen to be in Shibuya before the end of the month, stop by the Parco Logos Gallery to have a look at the “Japan Avantgarde” posters they now have on display. I quite liked what I saw.