INDEX
How to Explore Art Week Tokyo
haru.’s Picks: Exhibition Spots Focused on Gender and Sexuality Themes
The “Art Week Tokyo (AWT)” will be held from November 7th to 10th. 53 of Tokyo’s top museums and galleries will participate, and throughout the event, there will be a free shuttle bus (AWT BUS) circulating, making it easier to visit spaces that are usually harder to access or located a bit further away. How does haru. plan to explore ‘Art Week Tokyo’?
haru.: I usually look for keywords that interest me, like “words and body,” “feminism,” and “gender.” If I find something related to those themes, I’ll make sure to go see it. Since AWT’s website lists all the participating venues with descriptions, I browsed through and searched for what resonated with me.
Lizzie Fitch | Ryan Trecartin It Waives Back Venue: Prada Aoyama Store
Lizzie Fitch and Ryan Trecartin, based in Athens, Ohio, are both artists born in 1981. They have been collaborating since meeting at the Rhode Island School of Design in 2000. Known for their nonlinear video work and immersive installations, their collaborative projects have garnered widespread acclaim. Their works have been exhibited at prestigious venues worldwide, including the Whitney Museum of American Art, MoMA PS1, the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, the Venice Biennale, Kunstwerke Contemporary Art Center, Astrup Fearnley Museum, and the Prada Foundation.
Exhibition Dates: October 24, 2024 – January 13, 2025
Venue: Prada Aoyama Store, 5-2-6 Aoyama, Minato, Tokyo
Website: Prada Japan
haru.: I previously visited the Prada Aoyama store to see Miranda July’s “Miranda July: F.A.M.I.L.Y. Exhibition,” and I’ve been curious about other interesting exhibitions there in the future. I also noticed that the nearby AWT BAR opens at 10 a.m., so I’d like to stop by there as well.
AWT BAR emergence aoyama complex
“AWT BAR” is a relaxing spot for art fans from around the world. Located at the “emergence aoyama complex” in Minami-Aoyama, this year’s design is led by landscape architect Eiko Tomura. Landscape refers to the surroundings and environments shaped by both humans and nature. An organic landscape created by nature will be brought to life in the AWT BAR space, nestled in the heart of Tokyo.
Dates: November 7 (Thu) – 10 (Sun), 2024
Address: 5-4-30 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku
URL & Related Events: https://www.artweektokyo.com/bar/
Daniel Orchard Venue: Perrotin Tokyo
Photo by Guillaume Ziccarelli. Courtesy of the artist and Perrotin.
Daniel Orchard was born in 1985 in Michigan, USA. Drawing inspiration from modern masters such as Picasso and Matisse, he uses the multi-perspective style of early Cubism, solid outlines, and saturated colors to depict more abstract female nudes. The artist engages with each abstract part, often painted in thick layers, exploring the representation of the female body. While the concept of the female nude has been established in art history as the “muse” and as a subject of study, Orchard, as a female artist, brings a unique depth to her work by drawing on her own experiences as a model, as well as teaching life drawing classes. By incorporating familiar scenes and motifs from both art history and modern leisure, Orchard removes the need for viewers to speculate on the subject matter, guiding their attention towards the expressive form itself. The restrained body language of the women depicted resonates with the background, encouraging empathy and contemplation of their inner experiences.
Exhibition Period: September 12 (Thu) – November 10 (Sun)
Location: Piramide Building 1F, 6-6-9 Roppongi, Minato-ku
URL: https://leaflet.perrotin.com/view/847/mother-of-gloom
haru.: I’m also interested in Daniel Orchard’s exhibition at Perrotin Tokyo. His works explore the theme of women who have been objectified reclaiming their agency, right? The Piramide Building, where Perrotin is located, houses several galleries as well.
Satoru Aoyama Exhibition “Do you believe in ‘Forever’?” Venue: Mizuma Art Gallery
© Satoru Aoyama, courtesy of Mizuma Art Gallery
Satoru Aoyama’s embroidery works range from light, delicate drawings stitched onto paper to intricate pieces resembling paintings and models. They are diverse and free in expression, each infused with the unique characteristics and context of embroidery. Many of Aoyama’s works also reflect a sharp (and sometimes warm) perspective on human society. Using an old industrial sewing machine, Aoyama continues to expand the boundaries of embroidery as a medium, questioning the evolving nature of humanity and the value of labor since the advent of modernization. He graduated from the Textile Department of Goldsmiths College in London in 1998 and earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2001. Currently based in Tokyo, Aoyama presents works that extend the themes of his solo exhibition “Satoru Aoyama: Embroidered Boy Forever,” held at the Meguro Museum of Art in the spring of 2024, alongside new pieces in this exhibition.
Exhibition Dates: October 9 (Wed) – November 10 (Sun), 2024
Location: Kagura Building 2F, 3-13 Ichigayatamachi, Shinjuku-ku
URL: https://mizuma-art.co.jp/
haru.: I saw Aoyama’s works during my student years. I have the impression that there are more female artists creating embroidery works, so I remember feeling refreshed to see that a male artist was creating them.
haru.’s Recommended Route for Touring with AWT BUS
Click here for the AWT BUS map
Here is the map for AWT BUS:
Prada Aoyama Store (Omotesando)
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Perrotin Tokyo, Mori Art Museum (Roppongi)
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National Museum of Modern Art (Kudanshita)
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Mizuma Art Gallery (Ichigaya)
Art Week Tokyo
Dates: November 7 (Thursday) – November 10 (Sunday), 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Venue: Participating museums and galleries in Tokyo, AWT FOCUS, AWT BAR, and other program venues
Organizer: Contemporary Art Platform Association
Partnership: Art Basel
Special Cooperation: Agency for Cultural Affairs
Official website: https://www.artweektokyo.com/
