Posted:May 26, 2014

10 Things in Tokyo: April Round-up

A short list of events and exhibitions happening across Tokyo, and beyond, in April.

Kenji Yanobe's 'Giant Torayan' at Roppongi Art Night 2009
Kenji Yanobe's 'Giant Torayan' at Roppongi Art Night 2009
Photo: William Andrews

Normally held during the chilly month of March, this year Roppongi Art Night has been put forward in the year to Saturday, April 19th. Starting in 2009, it is a one-night event held in the streets and art venues in Roppongi. Katsuhiko Hibino will once again direct the event.

Video artist Yu Araki is having a solo exhibition The Container. The video on show is “Angelo Lives”, a mix of footage taken from Japan, Spain and Italy with a strange narrative surrounding the history of Christianity in Japan (until May 19). Three artists in their thirties- Takahiro Iwasaki, Ryuta Iida and Aki Eimizu– will be showing at MA2 Gallery from April 11 until May 4. Iwasaki’s miniscule works, made from human hair and other delicate materials, were displayed under telescope at the last Yokohama Triennale. Another young artist, Ai Sasaki from Osaka, will be showing her delicate sugar paintings as well as some soft, dreamy landscapes in the Bernard Buffet Museum of Shizuoka. Finally, in keeping with the theme of young artists, Ryoco Tanaka has some of her copperplate prints of the night sky at Gallery Hinoki. It’s a brief exhibition from April 14th until 19th.

The late Tetsuya Ishida, who died at the age of 31, left behind some of the most depressing and surreal images of modern life you’re likely to view on canvas. This current solo exhibition is being held in Hiratsuka, about an hour’s train ride from Tokyo. It begins on the 12th of April and runs until June 15.

Meanwhile, in Gallery Koyonagi, see Naoya Hatakeyama’s photo documentation of Rei Naito’s impressive minimalist memorial at the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum. Her work is described as “a requiem for the dead and a prayer for the living…[on the] the subject of the atomic bombing.” Runs until May 31.

It is spring and I cannot name a more timely exhibition than the Yamatane Museum of Art‘s “Mt. Fuji, Cherry Blossoms, and Flowers in Spring”. There’s also a showing at MOA Museum of Art in Atami of flower paintings from the renowned Rimpa School from the 17th and 18th centuries. Finally, at the Nezu Institute of Arts, they will show two Rimpa masterpieces, “Irises” and “Wisteria”. On display from April 19th until May 18th.

Emily Wakeling

Emily Wakeling

Emily Wakeling is a writer and curator who used to be based in Tokyo. Hailing from Brisbane, Australia, Emily wrote a Masters thesis on images of girls in contemporary Japanese art. She also curated some local sound art events. Her research interests cover Asian and Australian contemporary art, young women artists, globalisation and art, and new media.