TITLE_NAME :
On MONO, KOTO, and IMAGE
02/11/2024 - 24/11/2024
MEM
NADiff A/P/A/R/T 3F,
1-18-4, Ebisu,
150–0013 Tokyo
www.mem-inc.jp
In Japanese, the concepts of mono and koto are said to be essential to shaping thought. It is no exaggeration to say that these ideas lie at the heart of artistic creation. Mono, often translated as “material, object, or thing,” can be understood as “an object that occupies space or a form perceptible by the human senses.” Koto, translated as “incident or event,” is "an abstract object of thought, consciousness, phenomena, action, or character.” One of the artists featured in this group exhibition, Shigeru Onishi (1928–1994), studied topology and theoretical mathematics before turning to photography to explore his mathematical theories through art. He later transitioned to avant-garde calligraphy and abstract ink painting, producing work that the influential curator and critic Michel Tapié exhibited in Europe alongside those of Gutai artists in the late 1950s and 1960s. Recently, Onishi’s photographic output has been reevaluated, particularly his experimental techniques, such as multiple exposure, discoloration, and temperature-induced tone manipulation. Alongside Onishi’s works, the exhibition showcases paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, and sculptures by other artists, each engaging with the nuanced implications of mono and koto within modern and contemporary Japanese artistic practices.
02/11/2024 - 24/11/2024
MEM
NADiff A/P/A/R/T 3F,
1-18-4, Ebisu,
150–0013 Tokyo
www.mem-inc.jp
In Japanese, the concepts of mono and koto are said to be essential to shaping thought. It is no exaggeration to say that these ideas lie at the heart of artistic creation. Mono, often translated as “material, object, or thing,” can be understood as “an object that occupies space or a form perceptible by the human senses.” Koto, translated as “incident or event,” is "an abstract object of thought, consciousness, phenomena, action, or character.” One of the artists featured in this group exhibition, Shigeru Onishi (1928–1994), studied topology and theoretical mathematics before turning to photography to explore his mathematical theories through art. He later transitioned to avant-garde calligraphy and abstract ink painting, producing work that the influential curator and critic Michel Tapié exhibited in Europe alongside those of Gutai artists in the late 1950s and 1960s. Recently, Onishi’s photographic output has been reevaluated, particularly his experimental techniques, such as multiple exposure, discoloration, and temperature-induced tone manipulation. Alongside Onishi’s works, the exhibition showcases paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, and sculptures by other artists, each engaging with the nuanced implications of mono and koto within modern and contemporary Japanese artistic practices.