The exhibition Ei Arakawa-Nash: Paintings Are Pop Stars will be held at the National Art Center in Roppongi, Tokyo, from October 30 (Wednesday) to December 16 (Monday).
This exhibition marks the first museum solo show in Asia for Ei Arakawa-Nash, a Fukushima-born artist residing in the United States, who has focused on collaboration as the core of his artistic practice and has presented performance art at international exhibitions and museums since the 2000s. This is also the first large-scale solo exhibition of a performance artist at the National Art Center, exploring the current state of 21st-century performance art under the theme of a “living museum,” inviting viewers to engage with the works.
Photo: Ricardo Nagaoka
Courtesy of the artist
Photo: Ricardo Nagaoka
During the exhibition, performance art pieces such as Mad Garland (Angry Flower Garland), which communicates through dance using painting, and Nemesis Painting (Painting of the Archenemy), which involves being drawn into the artwork, are scheduled to take place. Additionally, Arakawa will conduct an improvised exhibition tour every week, allowing participants to “join and leave freely, participating whenever they like and exiting at their own pace.”
Photo: Santiago Felipe
Courtesy of the artist and David Zwirner, New York
Photo: Tate Modern
Courtesy of the artist and Tate Modern, London
Additionally, every Sunday, a participatory installation titled Mega, Please Feel Free to Paint will take place, paying homage to Jirō Yoshihara of the Gutai Art Association, which was presented at Tate Modern in 2021. In this installation, anyone is welcome to freely paint on the floor of the museum’s exhibition space.
Photo: Rikard Österlund
Courtesy of the artist and Tate Modern, London
Photo: Rikard Österlund
Courtesy of the artist and Tate Modern, London
The performance schedule can be checked on the official website of the exhibition.
Additionally, a music installation featuring new compositions created for the exhibition will showcase works inspired by Henri Matisse’s three drawings titled Face, including “Little Bird Day” by Yumi Matsutoya and Masataka Matsutoya, as well as “Micronesia Triptych” by Saho Terao, inspired by three paintings by the artist Toshiko Maruki. Among these, “Little Bird Day” will have a special event titled A Journey into Autumn on November 16 (Saturday), where a repeat performance is planned, along with a talk event featuring Arakawa and the visitors in the lobby.
Photo: Hiroyuki Takenouchi
Additionally, an LED painting created by Arakawa based on a self-portrait by David Medalla, along with Miho Hatori’s “Hello Hello Halo-Halo,” and 47 fragmented new tracks by Kim Gordon inspired by Yoko Ono’s “Instruction Paintings” will also be showcased.
Furthermore, in a room filled with LEDs based on Robert Rauschenberg’s 1960 series “Summer Rental,” a play by philosopher Masaya Chiba will be performed by Ayumu Murase, a voice actor known for his diverse vocal range, who has voiced characters such as Shoyo Hinata in “Haikyuu!!” and Tsubasa Yuunagi/Cure Wing in “Hirogaru Sky! Precure.”
A space will also be created to showcase LED reproductions of works by charismatic queer artists from 1950s New York, including Robert Indiana, Ellsworth Kelly, and Agnes Martin.
Photo: Marc Domage
Courtesy of the artist and Fabre Museum, Montpellier
Photo: Mike Schlömer
Courtesy of the artist and Museum Ludwig, Cologne
While it is a solo exhibition, a distinctive feature of this event is the inclusion of works by numerous collaborating artists showcased in nine sections throughout the 2,000-square-meter venue. Visitors will have the opportunity to view previously unreleased drawings by On Kawara, paintings by Japanese-American artist Miyoko Ito, and the world premiere of a portrait by Nicole Eisenman. Additionally, the exhibition will feature video works created specifically for the event by filmmaker Reiji Saito, as well as Bruce Connor’s avant-garde film piece “White Rose” from 1967.
Photo: Kenji Takahashi
Courtesy of the artist and The National Art Center, Tokyo
Photo: Marc Boyer
Courtesy of the artist and Les Abattoirs, Toulouse
Photo: Paula Court
Courtesy of the artist and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York
Admission is free.
Ei Arakawa-Nash: Paintings Are Popstars
Exhibition Period
October 30, 2024 (Wednesday) – December 16, 2024 (Monday)
Closed: Every Tuesday
Opening Hours
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Fridays and Saturdays until 8:00 PM
Last admission 30 minutes before closing
Venue
National Art Center, Tokyo, Exhibition Room 2E
7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8558
Organized by
National Art Center, Tokyo
Collaborating with
Taka Ishii Gallery, Nakagawa Chemical Co., Ltd.
Admission Fee
Free
Contact Information
050-5541-8600 (Hello Dial)
