The award-winning works in this exhibition come from the photo exhibition "Hiromi Tsuchida's Japan" (Dec 2007-Feb 2008) held at the Museum of Photography, Tokyo, which showcased the life and artistic pursuits of their artists, organized into three sections: "The Japanese," "Hiroshima," and "Self-portraits". "The Japanese" is the result of an extended exploration of Japanese vernacular culture- and local customs in "God of Customs" (1968-74), cities and the era of rapid economic growth in postwar Japan, "Counting Sand" (1975-89), the heady days of the bubble economy in "Party" (1980-90), the collapse of the bubble in "New: Counting Sand," (1995-2004), and the continuation to "God of Customs" (1980-2004), that took as its emblem the festivals of Japan. Part II, "Hiroshima," features "Hiroshima 1945-79", an account tracing the fates of children of the atomic disaster, as well as "Hiroshima- Monument" (1979-83), "Hiroshima- Collection" (1982-94), and Hiroshima 3. Part III, "Self-portraits," features the face of the artist, taken everyday since 1986, collected in a video work of four minutes twenty seconds. Since the late 1960s, the artist has pursued a singularly unique vision and clear concept in his work, privileging self-expression and thorough documentation as his working principles, in addition to giving expression to experimental approaches. This exhibition of award-winning work will display pieces from Part 1 of "Hiromi Tsuchida's Japan" -"God of Customs", "Counting Sand," and "New: Counting Sand", "God of Customs: Continued," as well as from Part III, "Self-portraits."

The 11th photography exhibition of art group MAYX.

-Talk Event "Toi & Masato" Guests: Masato Seto, Keizo Kitajima Date & Time: May 10th (Sat) 19:00- Fee: ¥1000 (Including 1 drink. Reservation required) Location: Place M For reservation and other information, please call the venue or use online reservation request form.

This yearly exhibition showcases prizewinning photographs by female photographers from Tokyo, Hokkaido and 17 eastern-Japan prefectures. All female participants, including children and students, are welcomed to submit their works to the photo contest held prior to this exhibition. Every year, powerful yet delicate works by a lot of female photographers are exhibited, amusing the visitors with their presence and capabilities. This open call exhibition aims to provide not only veterans but also budding female photographers with an opportunity to release the shutter, giving them a chance to foster fresh perspectives as well as to search for their own identities. Approximately 50 color and monochrome photographs will be on display. Please see exhibition website for more details.

Talk event: Nao Tsuda and Atsunobu Katagiri May 10th (Sat) 19:00- Fee: ¥1000 A talk event and slideshow given by Katagiri, a flower arrangement artist and director of Shusui Shobo bookshop will be held. To attend, please see website for details.

Kanagawa Tama Art Group Exhibition 2008 -Gallery 1F -Oil painting, watercolor, nihonga, sumi-ink drawing, printmaking, sculpture, craft. -70 works -Opens at 13:00 on the first exhibition day. 15th 2020 Association Exhibition -Gallery 2F -Oil painting, nihonga -20 works -Opens at 12:00 on the first exhibition day. 44th Representational Art Exhibition -Gallery 3F A -Representational art -170 works -Opens at 14:00 on the first exhibition day. 33th Hama Groupe Exhibition -Gallery 3F B -Photography -90 works -Opens at 12:00 on the first exhibition day. 2008 Spring JAG Exhibition -Organized by Nihon Geijutsu-ka Kyokai -Gallery 3F C -Painting, nihonga, sumi-ink drawing, 2D craft -130 works -Opens at 13:00 on the first exhibition day.

The Forbidden City in Beijing was for over 500 years the symbol of China's splendor and even looked upon as something like the center of the universe. Up until the Qing dynasty ended in 1911, it was also the emperor's residence for more than 24 generations, the seat of government and the largest palace in the world. At the time, entry was denied to commoners, and until recently, the City was shrouded in a veil of mystery. Then, in 1900, the palace was photographed in detail by Kazuma Ogawa, perhaps best known for his photograph of Natsume Soseki printed on the thousand-yen note. These vintage Ogawa prints will be displayed alongside photographs of the Forbidden City by Hou Yuanchao as it stands today.

4th installment in yearly series of exhibitions featuring artists living in Mitaka working in a variety of media.

"Loitering" is the graduation exhibition for the 34th Basic Photography course at the Contemporary Photo Institute, showcasing a year's worth of photographic explorations by a wide variety of people of different ages and occupations united by their common love of this craft. All of these works are large-scale silver monochrome prints.

80 prizewinning works from the Asia-Pacific competition will be on display.

While the city seems to have been flourishing after climbing out of a recession, it's also said that gaps between social classes have widened these days. As walking around the city, we encounter soon-to-be-forgotten old towns and buildings, where a variety of people live their lives. Placing ourselves in such corners of the city, we feel beauty, nostalgia, agony, sadness, anxiety and frustration. The artist hopes for the city to one day become full of hope and peace. 41 monochrome photographs will be on display.

The word "froth" brings to mind the idea of bubble economies, "bubble" candidates, a sense of fleetingness and disappearance... This exhibition features 10 monochrome works that capture various sorts of froth generated underwater by human aspiration, by other divers nearby, the froth generated by whirlpools, froth seen from above and below, flows and currents in the water, and many other situations.

Taka Ishii Gallery is pleased to announce Naoya Hatakeyama's 4th solo exhibition. This exhibition presents approximately 15 photographs from Hatakeyama's recent "Ciel Tombé" series, photographed in Paris, 2007. In Europe, there are cities that quarried stones directly below an urban area to construct the city itself. Among such cities, Paris was exceptional for undergoing digging on a massive scale. Due to continuous digging from the Middle Ages to modern times, Paris's underground is full of holes to such an extent as to be comparable to Gruyere cheese. In fact, catacombs (underground cemeteries), photographed by Nadar in the 19th century and now famous as tourist spots, were created by using portions of the old quarries. Hatakeyama, who once wrote in his book "Lime Works" that "Mines and cities are like the negative and positive of a single photograph", noticed that similar structures unfolded vertically in modern Paris and visited the remains of several underground quarries (mostly made of limestone) with the cooperation of Inspection Générale des Carriéres. "Ciel Tombé" is a term referring to a situation in which the ceilings of the subterranean quarry remains have tumbled down. (A direct translation is "fallen sky".) As abandoning these sites would eventually have harmful effects on construction above ground, thorough consolidation work was conducted by the Inspectorate during the 20th century. Yet some Ciel Tombés were left abandoned in a former quarry called "la Brasserie" that lies 17 meters below the Bois (Forest) de Vincennes that lies at the eastern end of Paris, because only forest - no buildings - existed above ground. No one knows exactly when the "sky fell down". Opening reception: April 30, Wed, 18:00-20:00

Landscape painting flourished at the end of 19th century. More than a century later, modern landscape and methods of depicting it have changed considerably. Started in April 1999, this is the 10th edition of the exhibition, in which new-generation artists working in various media tackles issues in contemporary representation and portrayal. -Part 1 Group Exhibition Date: April 28th (Mon)-May 3rd (Sat) Artists: Azusa Hayashi, Ayako Kuno, Naoko Noro, Madoka Kaneko -Part 2 8kb "Anxiety" Date: May 5th (Mon)-May 10th (Sat) -Part 3 Kaori Kojima "Roundabout" Date: May 12th (Mon)-May 17th (Sat) -Part 4 Installation Live Date, Time & Artists: May 19th (Mon)-May 21st (Wed) 12:00-20:30 Mai Mochida "Night Voyage" May 22nd (Thur)-May 24th (Sat) 12:00-20:30 Akinori Sakai "Difference & Repetition" [Image: Ayako Kuno]

Opening Thursday, April 10, 2008, Wako Works of Art is very pleased to present a new solo exhibition by Wolfgang Tillmans. This will be his fourth exhibition at Wako Works of Art. Born in Germany in 1968 and based in London since 1996, Tillmans first emerged as an influential artist of his generation through his photographs featured in magazines such as i-D, Interview and The Face, and later from his exploration of the photographic medium in the traditional genres of representation, and his meticulously thought-out wall and tabletop installations and artist's books. In addition to his portraits, landscapes, still lifes and nudes, his wide-ranging subjects also include astronomical images from everyday scenes and abstract works utilizing photogram techniques. This exhibition will present the artist's latest three-dimensional "Lighter" series, large-scale photocopy prints and other new works that reveal the artist's pursuit of new possibilities in photographic expression. Wolfgang Tillmans was awarded the Turner Prize in 2000. The artist has shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions and his works are in public and private collections worldwide. He recently was the subject of a large-scale solo exhibition which traveled from Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C.; and Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico City, Mexico. He has been selected for this year's Carnegie International and his work will be included in Mori Art Museum's "History in the Making: A Retrospective of the Turner Prize" opening April 25, 2008. His latest artist book "Wako Book 4" (edition of 1500) will be released in conjunction with this exhibition. Please join us for a reception for Wolfgang Tillmans on Thursday, April 10, 2008 from 18:00 to 20:00.

Opening Thursday, April 10, 2008, Wako Works of Art is very pleased to present a new solo exhibition by Wolfgang Tillmans. This will be his fourth exhibition at Wako Works of Art. Born in Germany in 1968 and based in London since 1996, Tillmans first emerged as an influential artist of his generation through his photographs featured in magazines such as i-D, Interview and The Face, and later from his exploration of the photographic medium in the traditional genres of representation, and his meticulously thought-out wall and tabletop installations and artist's books. In addition to his portraits, landscapes, still lifes and nudes, his wide-ranging subjects also include astronomical images from everyday scenes and abstract works utilizing photogram techniques. This exhibition will present the artist's latest three-dimensional "Lighter" series, large-scale photocopy prints and other new works that reveal the artist's pursuit of new possibilities in photographic expression. Wolfgang Tillmans was awarded the Turner Prize in 2000. The artist has shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions and his works are in public and private collections worldwide. He recently was the subject of a large-scale solo exhibition which traveled from Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C.; and Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico City, Mexico. He has been selected for this year's Carnegie International and his work will be included in Mori Art Museum's "History in the Making: A Retrospective of the Turner Prize" opening April 25, 2008. His latest artist book "Wako Book 4" (edition of 1500) will be released in conjunction with this exhibition. Please join us for a reception for Wolfgang Tillmans on Thursday, April 10, 2008 from 18:00 to 20:00.

Maddelena Sisto (born 1951 in Alexandria, passed away 2000 in Milan) was a world-renowned illustrator who worked with magazines like Italian Vogue and Elle Deco, and was also something of a legend in the Italian fashion world. For 30 years since the 70's, Sisto expressed the zeitgeist through her work with remarkable flair. Unfortunately, her prolific career was cut short In 2000, when she fell victim to cancer and passed away shortly after. This show is a traveling exhibition that was inaugurated in 2004 at the Milan Triennale, organized by Franca Sozzani, the charismatic editor of Italian Vogue. Now arriving in Japan, it has been extremely well-received in Italy owing to its comprehensive documentation of changing times through the medium of fashion. About 1000 works by Sisto will be on display, including around 100 original watercolors on the subject of fashion and design, as well as art objects, sculptures, and photographs. In these autographed works, Sisto captured and reflected the spirit of an age through her astute illustrations, infused not only with her exceptional talent, but also her sharp eye for irony.

This exhibition accompanies the "Setagaya Art Free Market" to be held on May 17th (Sat) and 18th (Sun) on the 3rd to the 5th floors of Carrot Tower. A wide range of works created by local creators who have participated in the market or other exhibitions held in Setagaya Ward will be on display. From painting or photography to T-shirt design, this exhibition showcases a variety of art, craft, and design works. Please see for more details.

Michiko Matsumoto captures the lithe, athletic bodies of dancers, recording encounters between two human souls. Kimiko Ishiyama trains her lens on rows and rows of mannequins laid out in warehouses. Noriko Shindo's visual world explores the wondrous palette of floral colors. Haruhi Fujii's generous vision records personal relationships with penetrating insight. Stephanie Fraisse's clear-eyed photographic vision shows charismatic chefs at work in the kitchen, capturing crucial instants in the drama of cookery.

In the midst of WWI, Antonin Raymond and Noémi Pernessin met each other on a ship while escaping the upheaval of Europe. When Antonin was 26 years old and Noémi 25, they got married and began a creative career spanning more than 60 years, Antonin as an architect and Noémi as a designer. They constantly moved around different countries, going back and forth between Europe, Japan, and America, in order to sustain their lives. Even under such circumstances, they successfully achieved various projects. Despite the fact that their achievements have been highly appraised worldwide, no comprehensive exhibition dedicated exclusively to Antonin and Noémi Raymond has yet been held. What made this difficult was not only the fact that their projects and artifacts have been scattered over Japan and the U.S., but also the fact that they were "outsiders" in the countries where they lived. This is the first retrospective exhibition to gather and exhibit the exemplary design work of the Raymonds. This exhibition will take place at three different locations in Takasaki; this museum, the Takasaki Tetsugakudou Foundation, and the Gunma Music Center. -Takasaki Tetsugakudou Foundation (89 Yashima-cho, Takasaki) 10:00-18:00 -Gunma Music Center (28-2 Takamatsu-cho, Takasaki) 10:00-17:00, exhibition starts from April 15th (Tue). Related Events: -Lecture "A. Raymond and Modernism" (April 19th, reservation required) -Lecture "Works of Noémi Raymond" (May 10th, reservation required) -Raymond Architecture Bus Tour in Karuizawa (May 11th, reservation required) -Music Center & Tetsugakudou Foundation Museum Trip (April 27th, May 4th, reservation required) [Image: Antonin Raymond "Gunma Music Center" Collection Kitazawa Koichi]

April 28, 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of the first "Nikkei" immigrants to Brazil, who left from the port city of Kobe. Rinko Kawauchi's "Semear" photo collection, released in 2007, was produced over a two year period, during which she made a total of 3 trips to Brazil to document the Japanese "Nikkei" community in Brazil, as well as the natural scenery, the lifestyle, and the sense of vitality that pervades the Brazilian carnavals. This exhibition later made its way to the Sao Paolo Museum of Modern Art. Kawauchi captures beautiful and sometimes nostalgic, an uniquely Brazilian sense of energy. This solo exhibition is Kawauchi's first in Tokyo in 4 years. Screening and mini-talk (reservation required): April 28th (Mon) 19:00-20:00

-Live performance by Hideo Hirabayashi (synthesizer) "Samedi Soir vol.6" Date & Time: May 24th (Sat) 19:30- Charge ¥1000/ Drink ¥500 [Image: "Ease vol.7" (2008) Giclee print on arche paper, 420 × 297mm]

Showcasing photographs the artist shot from September 2004 through January 2006 in Minamata City, Kumamoto, and its neighboring areas. Minamata has been known as a place filled with anger and tears. However, its people has started moving on, leaving the lessons of the past behind. The artist captured these people's various expressions, observed their everyday activities and collected small traces of things that belong to this place, portraying in his photographs and words strenuous will power and human dignity. The title of the exhibition speaks for his wish for all people to seize happiness. 30 monochrome photographs will be on display.

-Opening Reception Date & Time: May 7th (Wed) 17:00-19:30

This seventh exhibition at Gallery Box in the Yokohama Bayquarter building presents an installation by photographer Koji Nakao. "Light," especially artificial light, is the main motif of Nakao's work. He is interested in th "energy" that originates in light. This exhibition consists of a series of nighttime photographs of golf practicing fields that he started taking in 2006. He presents these photographs in lightboxes that emphasize the light captured in the works.

TICAD IV (4th Tokyo International Conference on African Development) will be held in Yokohama in May 2008. Co-hosted by the United Nations and the World Bank, members of the global community and African nations will come together to discuss issues relating to African development during this international conference. On this special occasion, BankART 1929 Yokohama is hosting an exhibition entitled "Africa - the Land of Hope" with the cooperation of Nikkei National Geographic Inc., introducing the abundance and wealth of Africa's natural resources as well as the continent's future potential. In Africa, the possibility for a "bright future" blessed with abundant nature, coexists in uneasy company with the possible "dark future" haunted by issues of global warming, poverty and AIDS. This exhibition will reveal the true face of Africa, with exquisite photographs and films from National Geographic.

Celebrating the launching of a new digital camera "FinePix S100FS", Fujifilm Square is presenting approximately 70 nature photographs by 5 notable photographers Masaaki Aihara, Tatsuya Tanaka, Masato Terauchi, Tadayuki Naito and Shin Yoshino in an innovative "folding screen" style. Location: Photo Cafe (1F)

Opening Party: May 3rd (Sat) 18:00-

Hideki Kuwajima (b.1964) has a dynamic personality which stands in contrast to his artworks. Besides being an artist, he works as a commercial photographer and started taking the series of photos "Vertical / Horizontal" in 2002. Each of the Kuwajima's works begins with carefully setting up glasses and decanters, while considering the final outcome as a photo. And then he shoots photos with a large sized camera and stores the data in digital form in order to layer the transparent images repeatedly. Finally, these layers are printed large scale. The works have strength as well as a mysterious complexity which reminds us of a Mandala, as if we are being drawn into the depth below the surface. Kuwajima's past works can be found in private collections of those who have keen eyes for art, such as David Elliott, Ryutaro Takahashi and the Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy group. The exhibition title "Vertical / Horizontal" indicates his faithfulness to photography. The large sized works -the minimum is 65 x 150 cm, the maximum is 100 x 300 cm - seem to release his pent-up energy. As you can imagine from this title, 7 works including both vertical and horizontal ones will cover all over the wall of Radi-um, our brand new space which opened this March. Opening reception: May 2nd (Fri) 19:00-

[Image: Ian Hamilton Finlay "Four Sails" (1967) 555 x 430mm]

This exhibition marks Aperture's (New York) publication of the photo collection of the same name. This is Homma's first Tokyo-themed show in 10 years capturing various angles of Tokyo. More details will be announced later.

[Image: Digital C-print, video]

The Hara Museum of Contemporary Art is pleased to present an exhibition of selections from its permanent collection of approximately 1,000 works. These will include artworks from the areas of painting, photography, video and installation, as well as recent acquisitions. Featured artists include Nobuyoshi Araki, Izumi Kato, Mika Kato, On Kawara, Yayoi Kusama, Kae Masuda, Yasumasa Morimura, Yoshitomo Nara, Kohei Nawa, Satoshi Ohno, Thiago Rocha Pitta, Wilhelm Sasnal, Malik Sidibe, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Adriana Varejão and Ai Weiwei. Also to be showcased are Sketch of Yodo River by Maruyama Oukyo from the Hara Rokuro Collection and a scale model of the newly expanded Hara Museum ARC. The expansion work is currently underway and is due to be completed in July. The renovation will include the new Kankai Pavilion, a gallery designed by Arata Isozaki dedicated to the Hara Rokuro Collection. Please see "About Kankai Pavilion" on museum website for details.

This exhibition presents two of sculptor Claire Xuan's most recent works, "Provence" and "Japan". These book-objects, also called portfolios or travel diaries, were published in a limited edition of 999 copies by the French publisher "Eléments d'Edition" as part of the "Collection of the 5 elements." They will be shown together with about 20 photographic works produced in France and Japan, in order to dissociate the process of photographic work and that of art publishing. These photographs evoke the natural elements - water, wood and earth, presented here as the principal subject. They are presented in glass cases under their original form, destructured as it were, in order to make them more legible, as well as to facilitate an appreciation of the artistic process by which they were made. Sheets of parchment paper that also revolve around the theme of natural elements evoked by the portfolios will also be on display. This exhibition is held in collaboration with the gallery of the United Nations University in Tokyo. Technique and paper These travel diaries are distinguished from each other in part by the printing technique, as well as by the artisanal process of the book-object. Situated somewhere between the book lover's book and a coffer of ancient engravings, these travel diaries, unedited and unaltered, are something of a fusion of contemporary techniques used by professional art publishers and a long heritage of printing traditions. Each original photograph is printed in four colors using a monocolor press, on 250-300g weight paper, composed exclusively of natural fibers that are more often used for engravings and lithographs (virgin cotton fibers). This handmade paper produced according to a traditional artisanal technique is most often produced for engraving purposes. Special attention is given to the drying process between different color passages. The paper is then joined with coffers made entirely by hand with rare types of paper, composed mostly of tea fibers and algae, parchment paper, or even paper that has been made in the country of origin where the coffer came from. The "Japan" portfolio is of particular interest, having been achieved on traditional Japanese washi paper. Each work has been realized on a different sheet of washi, conferring on each of the works a unique character. Xuan has personally overseen the creation of each work and the putting together of each portfolio. Meet-the-artist session, over a glass of wine (with French-Japanese translation) May 31st (Sat) 15:30-17:30 in the gallery on the second floor Held concurrently: Claire Xuan "In the Open Air" May 12th - June 1st 2008 (9:30-17:30) Gallery 1, United Nations University in Tokyo (5-53-70 Jingumae,Shibuya-ku,Tokyo Tel : 03-5467-1212)

Kazuyoshi Mikoshi is a photographer who has shot scenes of Tahiti, the Maldives, the Sahara desert, the Himalayas, and the North Pole, a lifelong vocation that began ever since his first visit to Okinawa when he was 13. He had his first solo show while still a high school student, and was awarded the Ihe Kimura Prize for photography for his photo collection "Paradise", the youngest ever recipient of the award. This exhibition showcases Mikoshi's stunning landscape shots of Morocco, situated in the northwest corner of Africa, adjoining both an inland sea and the ocean to the north. In the center of the country runs the Atlas mountain range. Rolling plains lie in the western part of the country, and arid desert can be found in the southeast. Also known as "Country of the West," or "Country of the Setting Sun," Morocco is a faraway land from the perspective of Japan and the Far East. Filled with historical cities and labyrinthine streets, Morocco is a land of warm and spirited people. "Moroccans have this unbelievable sense of power and strength about them. When I tried to film these Arabic people with their enigmatic smiles, meeting their gaze, I felt as if my heart had been drawn in and captured," says Mikoshi.

This is an exhibition by one of America's representative photographers, Lee Friedlander. His work has contributed to a new development in documentary photography, beginning with his photographs of scenes of everyday life in America that he started taking in the sixties. This artist visited Japan several times between the late seventies and nineties, capturing cherry blossoms from a completely different perspective than the local Japanese. About 40 works from his cherry blossom series will be on display.

This year's Index exhibition themed "destruction" is the fourth in the series. The exhibition is held annually in Kyoto and Tokyo with the support of student volunteers from Kyoto University of Art and Design, Art Studies and Cultural Production department. The exhibition aims to assist young promising artists in promoting their works. In addition, the organizers' hope is that the exhibition will shed light on today's significant social issues through the perceptive eyes of rich expressions of these talented artists. The theme "destruction" refers not only to outwardly violent destruction brought on by war and to the environment, but also to the internal disintegration of systems and and frameworks. The creative process is also closely linked to destruction. These artists' works focuses on the roles and effects of destruction, an unavoidable force in today's society. Opening Reception: May 2nd (Fri), 17:30- [Image: Kazuhito Matsumoto]

This photographer has been known for her unique perspective and sense of depth in her landscape and still life works since the beginning of her career. Surprisingly though, her stance toward photography and what draws her to the medium is relatively unknown. This exhibition explores the meaning and foundation behind her work that at times seems to deliberately evade categorization. 10 pieces taken in or after 2003 are on display. This will be her first solo exhibition in Japan since 1999. -Reception Date & Time: May 10th (Sat) 17:00-19:00 -Private Viewing Dates: Sundays, Mondays, and National holidays by appointment only via e-mail.

A close-up look at Kashiwazaki, Kariwa and Izumozaki, in Niigata Prefecture. Introduces the rich bounty of nature and culinary culture stemming from these tourist spots. - Exhibition of winners from photo contest featuring these regions - Photo exhibition of 51 Kashiwazaki landscapes - Photos of seaside fireworks in Kashiwazaki (includes full-size mockup of fireworks) - Fine produce and specialties from Kashiwazaki

Bishin Jumonji started working as a freelance photographer in 1971 at the age of 24. His debut work "Untitled" was exhibited at Camera Mainichi, and was later chosen to be shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, winning him critical acclaim abroad. Around the same time, his work was featured in Anan magazine, and Issey Miyake later issued an entire ten-page fashion gravure centerfold of his work, launching his hugely successful career with a flourish. The following year, he landed advertising work with Shiseido, Matsushita Electric and many others, leaving a big impact on the world with his experimental, spectacular images, and receiving several ADC awards in the process. Some of his noted work includes "Orchid Boat" (1981), the result of 7 years of research among the Japanese immigrant population in Hawaii, "Darkness" (1987), which featured the myths and legends of ethnic minorities in Asia, and an ambitious work taking Japanese gold as its theme, using elements of 3D expression. Jumonji attempts to capture a certain marginalized set of sensibilities in his work, striving for sentiments that elude everyone else, looking to frame subjects that others are oblivious to, believing that this is the only solid route to a compelling photograph. This exhibition showcases a range of Jumonji's early work right up to his advertising photography, shown over two venues (Creation G8 and Guardian Gallery). Opening party: May 12th (Mon) 19:00-20:30 Talk show: 201st Creative Salon May 23rd (Fri) 19:10-20:40 Creation Gallery G8 Admission free, reservation necessary (Tel: 03-3575-6918) Guest: Kazuhiko Ota (art director), Bishin Jumonji Now accepting reservations.

Bishin Jumonji started working as a freelance photographer in 1971 at the age of 24. His debut work "Untitled" was exhibited at Camera Mainichi, and was later chosen to be shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, winning him critical acclaim from abroad. At around the same time, his work was featured in Anan magazine, and Issey Miyake later issued an entire ten-page fashion gravure centerfold of his work, launching his hugely successful career with a flourish. The following year, he landed advertising work with Shiseido, Matsushita Electric and many others, leaving a big impact on the world with his experimental, spectacular images, and receiving several ADC awards in the process. Some of his noted work includes "Orchid Boat" (1981), the result of 7 years of research among the Japanese immigrant population in Hawaii, "Darkness" (1987), which featured the myths and legends of ethnic minorities in Asia, and an ambitious work taking Japanese gold as its theme, using elements of 3D expression. Jumonji attempts to capture a certain marginalized set of sensibilities in his work, striving for sentiments that elude everyone else, looking to frame subjects that others are oblivious to, believing that this is the only solid route to a compelling photograph. This exhibition showcases a range of Jumonji's early work right up to his advertising photography, shown over two venues (Creation G8 and Guardian Gallery). Opening party: May 12th (Mon) 19:00-20:30 Talk show: 201st Creative Salon May 23rd (Fri) 19:10-20:40 Creation Gallery G8 Admission free, reservation necessary (Tel: 03-3575-6918) Guest: Kazuhiko Ota (art director), Bishin Jumonji Now accepting reservations.

In the sprawling metropolis of Tokyo, houses, stores, housing complexes, old buildings and new high-rises are all crowded next to and on top of each other. The old and new coexist in this city. As the sun goes down and the city lights come on, natural light and artificial light start to blend with each other. In this luminous mixture, according to Sato, "the new and old cluster together, and Tokyo in this ambiguous condition is when the city is at its most beautiful". It is during these particular hours of the day, the dusky evening border, that the artist captures Tokyo, where residential and commercial areas mingle with each other. Sato's Tokyo is a place of tremendous enegy where the dynamism of its inhabitants is kept in exquisite balance. This exhibition showcases over 30 color photographs of old towns, Shinjuku and other areas in Tokyo that the artist shot from 2002 to 2008.

Shiozaki used to work for a leading game software company in Tokyo as a 3D designer, whereas his interest in photography continued to grow. He at last quit the company and started walking a new path as a photographer. Shiozaki has traveled many foreign countries such as India, Nepal, America and Europe. His private journeys abroad have been important inspiration for his artistic creation, which always conveyed smell, sound, warmth of each place he visited. This spring, he visited Paris and shot photographs of the site with his own perspective. Approximately 30 works, including newest works, will be on display.

Exhibiting approximately 900 portrait photographs Eiichiro Sakata took in the past 20 years in 4 locations -Marunouchi Building, Shin Marunouchi Building, Gyoko-dori Underground Gallery and Marunouchi Oazo. In addition to photographs, there will be video screening and a huge scale installation at each site. All portrait photographs were freshly trimmed for this exhibition. This is an unprecedented approach in which the visitors get to see the portraits of representative figures of our time as they journey into various exhibition spaces in Marunouchi. From the 20th century to the 21st century...the past 20 years witnessed a major shift of various conceptual frameworks both in Japan and abroad, such as the demise of the Cold War, the Gulf War, globalization and the IT revolution. "Portraits of our time" the artist has captured will reflect the time the world has taken. Please see exhibition website for more details.

After Singapore, Hanoi and Seoul, the "Italian Genius Now" exhibition will show in Tokyo at the Italian Cultural Institute from April 29th to June 8th, presenting about 90 works from the important collections of the Centre for Contemporary Art “Luigi Pecci” in Prato (Tuscany), as well as other Italian galleries and institutions. This exhibition was conceived as a multidisciplinary journey through Italian art and design of the last sixty years. It features some of the most famous examples of “Made in Italy” creativity through paintings, pictures, sculptures and design objects by artists and designers such as Ettore Sottsass, Gaetano Pesce, Salvatore Ferragamo, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Mimmo Rotella and Massimo Vitali. Italian Genius Now is a unique chance to admire some of the most interesting creations and results of Italian contemporary trends in art, design and fashion.

The genesis of “The Elements: Air/Water, Part 1” was sparked in July 2007, when Joel Meyerowitz was directing a video of Olympic divers from an underwater viewing room at a Florida pool. The repetition of dives had one thing in common; with every entry into the pool, an enormous plume of bubbles encased the diver. As each diver swam away, the bubbles coalesced into a cloud that rose to the surface and returned to the atmosphere. This small observation, about one Element's transition into another, led him to think about the individual qualities of the four Elements and their physical relationships. Meyerowitz responded immediately by beginning a study of the Elements and making a commitment to observe what these essential facts of life would look like in video and photographs. Opening Reception with Artist: March 7th (Fri) 19:00-22:00

Tokyo Wonder Site Shibuya will present a collection of works produced by artists-in-residence Matthias Schaller and Stephen Dean as the culmination of the TWS Aoyama: Creators-in-Residence program this spring. Schaller and Dean were invited to Tokyo as part of TWS's Invited Artists Program on the recommendations of international creators and curators. For this exhibition Schaller, endorsed by curator and art critic Germano Celant, will present one of his latest series, Purple Desks (2004-2007), which shows the Cardinal's office in the Roman Curia of the Vatican. Dean, endorsed by artist Vik Muniz, will present miniature videos of crowds and watercolors realized during his residency. Concurrently, TWS will hold the series exhibition "TEAM" (Tokyo Wonder Site Emerging Artists on Mezzanine). This time, Toshihiro Yashiro was selected to show his new works, "Kaitenkai" and "Time Traveler". -Opening Reception Date & Time: 4/12 (Sat) 18:00-20:00 Admission free (reservation not required) -Gallery Talk Matthias Schaller, Stephen Dean and Toshihiro Yashiro will explain their concepts and artistic processes in person while standing in front of their works at the site. With Japanese-English interpretation. Date & Time: April 13th (Sun) 16:00-17:00 Admission free (reservation not required) [Image: Matthias Schaller "Purple Desks Series: Vatican Secret Archives" (2004-2007) Photograph]

Held in conjunction with the 4th African Development Conference taking place in Yokohama in late May, this exhibition showcases more than 230 works capturing the real face of Africa today, taken by around 100 photographers. In addition, materials collected during a research trip to Uganda by journalists from newspaper companies in Kanagawa Prefecture will be on display, calling attention to the present situation in Africa and the importance of aid programs being carried out there. Venue: Exhibition Gallery, 2nd floor [Image: Nick Kelsh, from "A Day in the Life of Africa"]

Since their establishment in July 1995, the Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts has been collecting and exhibiting works based on 3 principles, "affinity towards living things", "eternal platinum prints" and "young, powerful photographers: young portfolio". "Young Portfolio" is an especially significant activity that the museum has been involved in annually: it entails calling out for photographs produced by people under 35, selecting the best pieces, and purchasing them for their collection. Rather than giving out awards, the Museum believes that purchasing the works will help support and give confidence to young artists. This is the 13th time that the event is being held, and consists of the following: For Young Portfolio 2007, 411 people from 35 countries submitted 5931 works. The 2007 portfolio judges, Morinaga Jun, Eiichiro Sakata, and Eikoh Hosoe selected 284 photos by 59 photographers (31 Japanese, 28 foreign) to be purchased for the permanent collection. [Image: Abdul Munem Washifi (Bangladesh) "Jute mill crisis" (2006) (c) Abdul Munem Washifi]

Celebrating the reopening of Museum of Modern Art, Gunma, we are pleased to introduce seven art galleries that Isozaki has designed since 1960, introducing the whole picture from developing the concept to realization through a variety of materials including original drawings, models and photographs. Upon this reopening, the audience will realize that the Museum was actually a prototype of "white cube", a pronoun to describe contemporary art spaces of the world. There will also be "Seven Tea-Ceremony Rooms" on display, presenting an architectural concept of this exhibition from a different angle. Related events: -"Erased Utopia 1968-1973" Interview with Arata Isozaki Dates & Time: April 30th (Wed) 14:00-17:00 Location: 2F Auditorium Fee: Free -Curator's Talk Dates & Time: May 14th (Wed) & May 31st (Sat) 14:00-15:00 Please come to Exhibition Room 1. (Reservation not required. Ticket required.)

The most distinctive buildings completed by architect Tadashi Suga will be on display in photographs, showcasing the intended purpose of each building as well as how the architect responded to the client's particular brief.

Gallery Terra Tokyo is pleased announce to present the first exhibition in Japan by Lydia Venieri. "Her most recent work, No Evil, featured in this exhibition, focuses on tightly framed faces of dolls. Reflected in their oversized eyes are images drawn from a number of different sites of conflict - from the remains of the World Trade Center, to Guantanamo and Iraq. The naivete of the dolls is contradicted by the painful scenes they seem to witness. These works are both literal and metaphorical reflections on our immersion in contemporary media; at the same time, they reference classic Surrealist artists like Han Bellmer (who was also enamored of dolls) and Claude Cahun (who created a striking series of still life 'self-portraits')." -Beth E. Wilson, art historian, critic, and curator Reception for the artist: May 10th (Sat) 17:00-19:00 [Image: Lydia Venieri, "See no Evil, Speak no Evil, Hear no Evil," (2008), archival inkjet on polysatin, 76x152cm]

The Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography is pleased to announce that it will be holding a two-part exhibition of the work of Daido Moriyama under the titles "Ⅰ. Retrospective 1965-2005" and "Ⅱ. Hawaii." Moriyama started working as a freelance photographer in 1963, publishing his ‘Yokosuka’ series in the ‘Camera Mainichi’ monthly magazine in 1965. He continued to publish his work in various photography magazines. The high-contrast, grainy images he produced during the sixties and seventies were often criticized as 'coarse, camera-shaken and blurred', but they were to cause a revolution in the Japanese photographic world. Constantly questioning the meaning of photography, all his photographic series -- "Japan, A Photo Theater" (1968), the controversial "Farewell Photography" (1972) which examined photographic expression, "Light and Shadow" (1982) which marked his comeback after a creative slump, and his latest, "Hawaii" (2007) -- all attracted much attention. Capturing daily life in the form of ‘snapshots’ taken in the street, his powerful works stir up emotions such as desire, loneliness and unease in the viewer. This exhibition comprises two sections, one tracing the career of this world-famous photographer and the other showing his current work. We hope that you will enjoy this opportunity to view the entire body of work of this unique photographer who explored the very essence of photography. -Floor Lecture The curator in charge will provide an explanation of the exhibits at 14:00 on the second and fourth Fridays of the month. Anybody with a valid entrance ticket for the day is welcome to attend. *Japanese only -Series of Discussions with Daido Moriyama May 23rd (Fri) 18:00-20:00 with Shinro Otake (artist) Moderator: Michiko Kasahara (curator, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography) May 24th (Sat) 18:00-20:00 with Koji Taki (art and photography critic) Moderator: Minoru Shimizu (associate professor, Doshisha University) May 30th (Sat) 18:00-20:00 with Shigenori Kanehira (journalist and president of TBS News) Moderator: Tomoko Okabe (curator, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography) ※Changes may be made to listed participants. ※For further details of the contents and participation, please refer to the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography official website. *Japanese only

Celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Edo-Tokyo Museum, museum and fashion designer and producer Kansai Yamamoto, whose designs are inspired by the history and culture of Japan, collaborated on the production of this exhibition. Through an exploration of these works by Yamamoto, this exhibition will focus on traditional Japanese culture in order to explore the distinctive aesthetic cultivated in this country. They aim to reassess the significant impact of traditional culture in our lives, and the one it will potentially have on our future. Part of the exhibition on the 6th floor will be open from March 27th (Thurs). [Image: "Kabuki" David Bowie's stage costume (1973) David Bowie collection. (c) Masayoshi SUkita]

In 1956, Taro Okamoto published a book entitled, "Traditions of Japan." The catalyst that aroused his interest in this primitive history was the exhibition "Jomon Earthenware," held at the Tokyo National Museum in 1951. Okamoto began to discern certain stylistic differences between Jomon and Yayoi earthenware - the former involved a sense of dynamism and a four-dimensional sensibility, while the latter was still and quiet, suffused by a more two-dimensional sensibility. His analysis of these issues was published in magazines, and was also included in his book on tradition. It was around this time that Okamoto began to focus on creating sculptures. By looking back at Jomon earthenware, we can begin to understand Okamoto's sculpture in a new light. This exhibition showcases paintings, sculptures, prints, and photographs that reveal Okamoto's interpretation of and response to "the tradition of Japan." [Image: "Low of the Jungle" (1950) Oil on canvas]

Kawasaki City Museum has been a pioneer in researching new genres of art, such as photography, comics, graphics, film and image, while also collecting valuable materials as civic resources. Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Museum is hosting "Collection Pickup - Curators' Picks" Exhibition, in which curators will pick up some works from the Museum collection and introduce them from their own perspectives. Location: Art Gallery

The Turner Prize is one of the most important prizes in the art world today. Organized by the Tate galleries and presented annually since 1984, it represents a major steppingstone for young British artists. The Prize is unique because it is not restricted to conventional media – such as painting, sculpture or photography – but may include new and diverse forms of expression. The awards ceremony is telecast live and is a highly anticipated national event in Britain. This exhibition – the first time that works by all past Prize-winners have been exhibited together– provides an opportunity to examine changes in the Prize over the years. It is at the same time a retrospective of British contemporary art, with work by the likes of Gilbert and George, Tony Cragg, Anish Kapoor, Damien Hirst and Wolfgang Tillmans. Related public programs: "British Contemporary Art and the Turner Prize" (headsets with Japanese-English simultaneous interpretation provided) We have invited the director and curator of the Tate in London to give a lecture about one of the most important prizes for contemporary art, the Turner, as well as about the history of its reception. Sir Nicholas Serota (director of Tate Museum) LIzzy Carey-Thomas (curator, Tate Britain) Moderator: Fumio Nanjo (director, Mori Art Museum) Date and time: April 25th (Fri), 19:00-21:00 Venue: Academy Hills, 49F (Mori Tower, 49F) Organized by Mori Art Museum and Academy Hills Limited to 350 persons. Fee: Regular ¥1000, Students and MAMC members ¥500 To reserve a place, please visit the Mori Art Museum website. Artist Talk (Japanese-English consecutive interpretation provided) Artists whose work is being shown will talk about their work. Date and time: April 26th (Sat), 14:00-16:00 Speakers: Rachel Whiteread (1993 Turner recipient), Martin Creed (2001 Turner recipient), others Venue: Mori Art Museum 53F exhibition gallery 1 Limited to 100 persons per talk (first-come first-serve basis, reservation not required) Fee: Free (admission to exhibition required) [Image: Damien Hirst "Mother and Child, Divided" (1993) Steel, GRP composites, glass, silicone sealants, cow, calf, formaldehyde solution 208.6 × 332.5 × 109cm (×2), 113.6 × 169 × 62cm (×2) Astrup Fearnley Museum, Oslo]

Looking at the history of film of any country reveals an important connection between film and literature. In the more than 100 years of Japanese film history, we can see that many film directors and scriptwriters were influenced by various forms of literature. Coinciding with the new series of screenings, "Japanese Literature in Film," this exhibition explores how literature has influenced and been "interpreted" into film. Posters and still photographs from the NFC's collection are on display to introduce the cultural background behind this cross-disciplinary exchange. This is the first edition of the series, focusing mainly on works from the Meiji and Taisho periods. -Gallery talks are scheduled during the exhibition period. Details will be posted on their website soon. -"Japanese Literature in Film" Screenings: April 18th (Fri) - May 4th (Sun)

CB Collection Roppongi is delighted to present "CB Janes", a group exhibition of female artists. Artists of different nationalities and ages are represented, including Marilyn Minter, who designed the catalog cover for the Whitney Biennale two years ago; Ghada Amer, an Egyptian artist who is currently showing at the Brooklyn Museum; as well as Japanese artists Chiho Aoshima and Ayako Rokkaku. These ten artists bring their varying styles and media to 29 works, each with their own special character that becomes all the more apparent by being exhibited side by side. [Image: Marilyn Minter, "Shit Kicker" (2006), 153x215.9cm, C-print ed.3]

Jim O’Connell documents Tokyo’s red-light district, making connections with Kabukicho’s working men and women, revelers and passers-by. This exhibition comprises of ten photographs shot in 2006. This event is taking place in , a bar in Golden Gai.

Using three floors of the main building, this permanent exhibition presents about 200 to 250 pieces selected from our museum's collection of about 9,200 works, including Japanese- and Western-style paintings, watercolors, drawings, prints, photographs and sculptures, to provide a historical overview on modern Japanese art from the beginning of the 20th century to present. The show also includes some overseas works related to Japanese pieces. Many of the exhibits are largely replaced five times a year. In addition to the historical approach, a smaller show, "Topic in Focus" is given in each exhibition period to shed new light on modern Japanese art. The permanent collection is displayed in regular rotation. Please check the museum's website for details.

This exhibition introduces works by Joshibi Art University graduates who have been active in photography and graphics. Works and messages with a uniquely feminine viewpoint will be on display. This exhibition is simultaneously held at Daikoku-ya Gallery in Ginza (03-3571-0008) and Joshibi Galeria Nike in Shin Nakano (03-5340-6671), each venue presenting different works by the artists.

This exhibition aims to reenact the representative postwar photographer Tadahiko Hayashi's past exhibition "Time of Kasutori" held at old Fuji Photo Salon in August 1980, based on the photo panels and documentary photos used at that time. "Kasutori" was coarse alcohol illicitly manufactured with rice and potatoes right after World War II. This exhibition showcases Hayashi's 86 monochrome photographs of the ruins and black market that all mirror the social condition of such a tumultuous postwar period when Kasutori prevailed.

Asia's biggest international art event "Design Festa" with over 60,000 people attending! Design Festa is a freestyle International Art Event open to all artists, both professional and non-professional from all over the world to exhibit their creative talent. Design Festa started in 1994 and as of December 2006 it has successfully completed 25 events as well as 3 sub-events. This art event is held twice a year at Tokyo Big Sight, the biggest event hall in Japan. Design Festa is the ideal place for passionate artists who are looking for a great opportunity to show their artwork to a very large audience from all over the world.

Photographer Jiro Omura went around the world taking photographs of the different varieties of coffee, tea, alcohol and tobacco consumed by locals. Over 130 works are on display.

The Drunk Salaryman Photo Exhibition! Live music by Douglas Lee from China, DJ's Touch of Pink, Crustacean, Miki, and Photo Exhibition of Drunk Salaryman by Scott Larson. Free entry, and wear a tie around your head for a free glass of wine!

Graduated in 2003 from the Photographic Arts Vocational College of Japan. Exhibited at the Tokyo Wonderwall exhibition (Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo) in 2007.

"2nd Wandering Walk" Exhibition Exhibiting approximately 50 photographs on the theme of great outdoors and everyday sceneries. -Location: Exhibition Room A on 2F -Dates & Times: May 19th (Mon)-May 25th (Sun) 10:00-18:00. Opens at 13:00 on the first day and closes at 18:00 on the last day. -Contact: Photo Circle Yuyu 045-984-1400 "3D Art Circle Yucca Master's Group" Exhibition Exhibiting approximately 60 3D works by members who have earned master's degrees. They transformed 2D paintings into 3D "plastic" paintings. -Location: Exhibition Room B on 1F -Dates & Times: May 20th (Tue)-May 25th (Sun) 9:00-20:00. Opens at 13:00 on the first day and closes at 18:00 on the last day. -Contact: 3D Art Circle Yucca 045-983-2575 -HP: Artist Website "Kabuki Dancers and Sutra" Exhibition Paintings depicting Japanese dancers as well as calligraphy sutra works will be on display. Approximately 100 works. -Location: Exhibition Room A on 1F -Dates & Times: May 20th (Tue)-May 25th (Sun) 10:00-17:00. Opens at 11:00 on the first day and closes at 18:00 on the last day. -Related Event: "Japanese Dance & Rakugo" (Lecture Room/ May 25th (Sun) 12:00-) -Contact: Ibuki Shoshano-kai 045-901-0254 "Art Free 8" Exhibition Exhibiting approximately 45 pastel, watercolor, oil paintings, etc. by 9 artists. -Location: Exhibition Room B on 2F -Dates & Times: May 21st (Wed)-May 25th (Sun) 10:00-17:00. Opens at 13:00 on the first day and closes at 17:00 on the last day. -Contact: Ozenji Pastel Drawing Group 044-955-8600

Born 1964 in Tokyo. Joined the Korean newspaper company Shinhosha in 1992 and became a freelance photographer after leaving the company. Graduated from the research department of the Tokyo Sogo Photography College in 2002. Published the photo collection "Moon Residence" (Toseisha) and held solo show at the Shinjuku Nikon Salon. From 2004-5, held the "Out of Ordinary" international traveling exhibition with the aid of an international exchange grant. Lives and works in Tokyo.

Based in New York, Yoshida has exhibited widely in America, Canada, Europe and Asia. Her work captures a world of light and darkness of large rocks and other objects seen by moonlight.