interview: Kukiko Nobori

On the occasion of her visit to Poland to represent  Japanese Pavilion during Alternative Biennale I talk to Kukiko Nobori, an independent researcher, about Japanese contemporary art and alternative art spaces.

MR: There's been this debate going on in ARTiT magazine about what is Japanese contemporary art.I would like to ask you the same question - what is Japanese contemporary art and how is it different? Is there anything like japanese-ness in art?
KN: As I have read articles and interviews, or talked with artists in Japan, it seems that some of them are rather conscious about the japanese-ness in their works, but some of them really do not care if they are from Japan and even reject to be categolize as such.
I think now it seems uncomfortable to claim the nationality in contemporary art.
MR: Coming to Japan one have an impression that there are top-notch Contemporary Art Centers/Museum at 'every corner' but not much alternative spaces. I was wondering why is it so, couldn't I just find them as they are so underground or there is no antiestablishment attitude whatsoever?KN: The structure of so-called Japanese contemporary art world is different from that in the West, so it is difficult to define what the 'alternatives' are.
However I think there are many activities organized by artists outside of 'establishments' and museums. The visibility of those activities are less than those in the major contemporary art centres or museums, but once you get involved, it's easy to follow, I think.
MR: It is said that exhibitions become media that reflect condition of contemporary society. What do the exhibitions made in Japan tell us about Japanese society?KN: It was an interesting phenomenon last year that an exhibition of Buddhist statues ('The National Treasure ASHURA and Masterpieces from Kohfukuji') in Tokyo got high attentions from wider audiences and it recorded 946,173 visitors. Some analyzes its big hit according to the way they showed ASHURA as a 'character'.

MR: Who's hot in Japan right now?
KN: Tetsuya Umeda, Ilcommons (i'm not sure if he wants to be called an artist though), Yodogawa Technique

MR: 7 sins of Japanese contemporary art
KN: Complex attitude and feeling towards 'West', failure to communicate with general public, lack of criticism, lack of structural assistance.

photo: hologram effect

Kazuna Taguchi, Look how long I've grown waiting for you, 2007

photo: Tokyo 4-3-4-506

Self-portraits that merely depict the artist. Born in Japan Chino Otsuka works and lives in London. The core of her photographic research is based on autobiographical experience. She uses self-portrait to explore themes of belonging, identity and memory. In her works she traces back and recreates the past. Tokyo 4-3-4-506 series takes place in an abandoned flat in a Tokyo housing estate.

Japan at 40. Art Basel

This is briefly how Japanese contemporary art looked like at Art Basel. Beneath the best of art dealers choice which this year were Tomio Koyama, Taka Ishii, SCAI the Bathhouse, Gallery Koyanagi and ShugoArts. 

Ei Arakawa, c/o Grand Openings, Grand Openingsat Bumbershoot, 2008, performance
Shintaro Miyake, A torture of forest, 2009, acrylic, color pencil, pencil on paper

Daido Moriyama, Hokkaido, 1978/2009, black and white print
Tatsuo Miyajima, C.F.Lifestructurism - no.13, 2009, LED, IC, electric wire

Daisuke Ohba, UROBOROS(woods), 2008, acrylic on cotton

Noriko Ambe, Cutting Book Series with ED Ruscha "Artists who make pieces, Artists who do books", 2008,
Cuts on a book of "ED Ruscha"

Kohei Nawa, PixCell-Model-Leopard, 2008, mixed media

project room: Takashi Kuribayashi

I I were Japanese Pavilion commissioner I would consider showing ..

Takashi Kuribayashi, Sumpf land, 2008, installation

One of the most creative young artists who using animal motif explores concept of boundries and draws the viewer into different worlds. In his works he uses his experience as a diver. He participated in Singapore Biennale (2006).

Takashi Kuribayashi, Sumpf land, 2008, installation

photo: own archive and Towada Art Center

worst in show

Japanese Pavilion at Venice Biennale was awarded by Jerry Saltz Worst in Show. Here's the verdict: 'In the Japanese Pavilion, Miwa Yanagi exhibits a series of huge, god-awful photographs of grotesque naked women. In an accompanying text, a writer raves that these crappy pictures will bring great joy not only to the Japanese Pavilion but to the Venice Biennale as a whole...'

project room: Daisuke Ohba

Flipping thru Flashart I found review of Daisuke Ohba solo show at Scai The Bathhouse written by Satoru Nagoya which goes like this: you are beyond Japanese' means praise in the Japanese vernacular. Such a self-disparaging expression is still indispensable when we describe unrivaled talent on the Japanese art scene. And that's the case of painter Daisuke Ohba (b.1981). While many young Japanese painters cling to trivial private episodes as subjects and often reveal childish imperfection in technique, Ohba has adopted an approach with grandeur and maturity, hight above the Japanese standards.