TABuzz #3 with Satoru Aoyama | TABlog | Tokyo Art Beat

This edition of TABuzz sees contemporary artist Satoru Aoyama of Mizuma Art Gallery giving us his tips. Aoyama is well known for his embroidery art works so minute and detailed that at first glance they appear to be paintings. After working in London he is now based in Tokyo and his career is going full kilt. However, he finds time to go a lot to other artists’ exhibitions as well…

I WANT TO SEE…

The Venice Biennale 2009
I probably want to go because actually this time I can’t!

“Winter Garden: The Exploration of the Micropop Imagination in Contemporary Japanese Art” at Hara Museum of Contemporary Art
In truth, I was only half convinced by the previous exhibition ["The Door into Summer: The Age of Micropop", by the same curator] so I want to see it again this time.

Hamamatsu International Mosaiculture 2009 (Shizukoka)
The official character Mosaic-kun is very cute and is the work of Izuru Kasahara, an artist I know.

Jin Kurashige “Hollow Point” at Mizuma Art Gallery
He shows his power when you’re not expecting it; when you are he doesn’t. An artist who plays with you.

I WENT TO…

Hideyuki Sawayanagi “Fission-Fusion” at Radi-um
We used to be in the same studio. He can do many things but this time was pure mono-material.

Tatzu Nishi “What if someone finds out?!” at ARATANIURANO
If you’re found out all you can do is bargain for your life, I think!

I LIKE GOING TO…

Tube Shelter CORAL Ebisu
In spite of the Kubrick-style interior it’s actually a snack bar. The Mama-san always gives me compliments!

Sumiyakitei (Shimomaruko)
A mutton barbeque place near my studio. So far countless mutton-haters have been won over by its cooking.

I AM USING…

G-9 iida
For the first time in years I’ve got a new phone. In terms of design this is A-OK.

I AM SURFING…

PEDAL MAFIA
An imaginary bicycle factory. I don’t use it much but just for making my dreams real online…

I like to check the homepages of my favourite musicians:
Shing02 Sometimes you can get free sounds.
Sakana A romantic illustrated blog.

I AM READING…

William Morris, The Art of the People (Trans. Kazuo Nakahashi)
Child-like aestheticism. With the socialism of adult intellect.

News Week
I like the caricatures and the weekly world witticisms. They are so bitchy!

MY HOT TIPS TO WATCH ARE…

I recently went to Korea for the first time and had a good time, so I want to introduce some artists there.

Young-whan Bae
He displays guitars made from scrap wood alongside photographs of the original wood. The mother-of-pearl is beautiful.

Yeondoo Jung
It looks like he will do something in Yokohama in August. A master photographer, he’s also fluent in English and Japanese.

U-ram Choe
A robot geek! I don’t like mechanical art but he’s a romantic!

MY LAST COMMENT IS…

My passport was expired for the last few months. During that time I felt really uneasy for some reason. Tokyo is real fun but only because all the time I had the choice of being able to go somewhere.

Satoru Aoyama
Born in Tokyo in 1973. Graduate of Goldsmiths College, University of London, and holds a Masters Degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). Became famous for his works using embroidery. He took part in the group shows “Boys Who Sew” (London, 2004) and “The Echo” (Yokohama, 2008), among others. Curated “The Souvenir Mine” (2006) exhibition of young British artists. Mizuma Art Gallery held his “Glitter Pieces: #1-22″ show in March. Can be seen in the current “Neoteny Japan -Takahashi Collection” at the Ueno Royal Museum.

For more, see TABlog’s feature on Satoru Aoyama discussing his London exhibitions in the run-up to his 2007 Mizuma Art Gallery show.