From February 17 (Saturday) to April 14 (Sunday), 2024, a special exhibition will be held at the Ohara Museum of Art.
The AM Kurashiki vol.17 Asuka Takamatsu - Light Runs Through the World exhibition features a collaboration between the works of painter Asuka Takamatsu and the collection of the Ohara Museum of Art.
What does collaboration between works mean?
We will introduce it along with an interview with Asuka Takamatsu.
Photography is generally prohibited inside the Ohara Museum of Art. This time, we have received special permission for photography.
What is "AM Kurashiki (Artist Meets Kurashiki)"?
The Ohara Museum of Art conducts three major projects to welcome contemporary artists.
- Yurin-so Villa special opening: Held every spring and autumn
- ARKO (Artist in Residence Kurashiki, Ohara): Residency program using the studio of Kojima Torajiro (Mui Village Villa)
- AM Kurashiki (Artist Meets Kurashiki)
AM Kurashiki targets a wide range of artists, including painters and sculptors, as well as those involved in physical and visual expressions, and is a project where artists create works through encounters with Kurashiki and publicly display them.
The 17th edition is titled "Asuka Takamatsu - Light Runs Through the World," originally scheduled to be held from April to July 2020.
However, due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection, it was postponed, and it will now be held with the latest works added over the course of four years.
The previous edition (Vol.16) was held from January 1 to March 15, 2020, making this the first event in four years.
Overview of "Asuka Takamatsu - Light Runs Through the World"
Asuka Takamatsu's works are displayed in four exhibition rooms within the main building of the Ohara Museum of Art, in combination with the museum's collection.
I wondered what "combining" meant, but I felt a completely different atmosphere compared to usual exhibitions.
To put it simply, it felt like they were "randomly arranged," but for the author, this was a very fresh sensation.
For example, this exhibition symbolically shows a high place on land (on a mountain) and a deep place at the bottom of the sea (octopus), emphasizing the spatial expansion.
Not only the framed paintings but also the space itself feels like a work of art.
Even for the author, who usually does not visit art museums often, I found myself captivated.
Interview with Asuka Takamatsu
I spoke with painter Asuka Takamatsu about "AM Kurashiki vol.17 Asuka Takamatsu - Light Runs Through the World."
I felt that the number of works is quite large. Is this related to the fact that it was originally scheduled for 2020 and was postponed for four years?
Takamatsu
It has always been a style of combining, so having a lot is just the usual feeling.
I felt it was fresh to combine with the collection of the Ohara Museum of Art, but did you decide on "this" from the beginning and keep in mind how to display it?
Takamatsu
No, I didn't think that far.
Of course, I have ideas about how I want each painting to be and what I want to connect, but ultimately, I decide while exhibiting at the Ohara Museum of Art.
I came here with illustrations on a board, but I also left out some things. So, the final shape was decided here (at the Ohara Museum of Art).
It's like a bento box; the ingredients (elements) are decided, but the final arrangement is determined by trying them out.
Museum exhibitions tend to have a rather orderly image, but your exhibition feels free and has various forms. Did you intentionally arrange it that way?
Takamatsu
Yes, that's right.
To put it simply, there are also things like "comic panels."
I create works by pulling from photos and videos I took myself, but if I just make it "one work," I start to wonder where my consciousness slips in.
So, I think the way I place what I saw is part of the work.
Finally, please give us a message.
Takamatsu
Artworks, not just mine but any work, become no longer someone else's the moment you feel a connection to them.
I love those moments, and that's why I draw, so I have prepared many "strong hooks" for you.
So, I hope you will look for your own hooks.
Conclusion
When it comes to art, we tend to think we must "interpret something," which can make it feel difficult.
Looking at Asuka Takamatsu's works, I felt that such thoughts might not be necessary.
Please be sure to look for the "hooks" that Takamatsu has prepared for you at the Ohara Museum of Art.
Data on AM Kurashiki vol.17 Asuka Takamatsu - Light Runs Through the World
| Name | AM Kurashiki vol.17 Asuka Takamatsu - Light Runs Through the World |
|---|---|
| Dates | From February 17 (Saturday) to April 14 (Sunday), 2024 * Until February 29, open from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM * From March 1, open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM * Closed every Monday |
| Location | 1-1-15 Chuo, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Admission Fee (tax included) | [General] Adults: 2,000 yen High school, middle school, and elementary school students: 500 yen |
| Website | AM Kurashiki (Artist Meets Kurashiki) vol.17 Asuka Takamatsu - Light Runs Through the World |
