Talking about Art: The Viewpoint of Yusuke Nakahara

Art critic Yusuke Nakahara (1931-2011) made his name in the '60s and '70s, most famously as commissioner of the 1970 Tokyo Biennale. This grand exhibition is remembered as a turning point on Japan's postwar avant-garde scene, catapulting approaches like conceptual and minimal art, as well as the Mono-ha ('School of Things') idea, to the surface. Such a critical, probing stance was in stark contrast to the spirit of the age, which emphasised rapid economic growth and celebrated Japan's rise to world power status. Nakahara also curated numerous exhibitions of overseas artists all over Japan, challenging preconceived ideas and expanding the vistas of his contemporaries and the general public. Held at Chiba's Kawamura Memorial Museum, 'Talking about Art' looks back at Nakahara's influence by presenting a wide range of contemporary art from the protagonist's own perspective, while also shining a light on his professional life as a curator, critic and journalist.