Enfants Terribles, Premonitions of OblivionNakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka 10:00
Adults ¥1,900, high school and university students ¥1,300, elementary and junior high school students ¥500
By bringing together three Kansai-born, internationally renowned artists who each has a singular point of view on the world today, this group exhibition is bound to be a blockbuster hit.
Born in Osaka, Kenji Yanobe creates functional mechanical sculptures that carry underlying social commentary on modern survival. He is perhaps best known for his Ship’s Cat series, ‘catstronauts’ envisioned as guardian spirits to protect travellers. One of these beloved feline figures now permanently greets visitors at the entrance of the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, the host of this showcase.
Fellow Osaka artist Yasumasa Morimura is a master of disguise. A conceptual photographer, filmmaker and visual artist, Morimura is renowned for appropriating iconic Western paintings and historical images. He inserts himself into these works as a form of self-portraiture through a meticulous fusion of props, costumes, make-up and digital manipulation.
Rounding out the trio is Miwa Yanagi. Born in Kobe, Yanagi creates evocative works that put women at the centre of the narrative. Through photography, make-up and digital effects, her captivating images examine women’s roles and gender stereotypes in modern Japanese society. Since 2010, her practice has expanded to include large-scale theatre works.
To introduce these artists to new audiences, the exhibition features a selection of career-defining pieces. However, the curation is largely focused on the future; new works by these masters anchor the show, offering a window into their evolving trajectories.
This exhibition is closed on Mondays except April 27, May 4 and July 20.
