Mark Leckey’s First Solo Exhibition in Japan Opens at the Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo

Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo is hosting FIORUCCI MADE ME HARDCORE FEAT. BIG RED SOUNDSYSTEM, a solo exhibition by British contemporary artist Mark Leckey. The exhibition runs from February 22 to August 18, 2024.

This exhibition is part of the "Hors-les-murs" (Beyond the Walls) program, which showcases the vast collection of Fondation Louis Vuitton's vast collection in Espace Louis Vuitton locations in Tokyo, Munich, Venice, Beijing, Seoul, and Osaka, with the aim of creating international projects and introducing the works to a broader audience.

Mark Leckey was born in Birkenhead, United Kingdom, in 1964 and currently lives and works in London. Leckey's practice lies at the intersection of pop culture and counterculture, mixing youth, rave, pop, nostalgia, social class studies, and British history, bringing together sculpture, film, sound, performance, and collage. In 2008, he was awarded the Turner Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in the United Kingdom. Leckey has also participated in numerous international exhibitions and has held solo shows worldwide.

The exhibition features two works from the Espace Louis Vuitton collection - FIORUCCI MADE ME HARDCORE WITH SOUNDSYSTEM (10-year Anniversary Remaster) (1999-2003-2010) and FELIX THE CAT (2013).

Visiting Japan for the first time for this exhibition, Leckey attended the press preview and noted, "I'm only here for a short time, but I'm enjoying my stay." Let's take a look at the exhibition along with the artist's comments.

Leckey explains, FIORUCCI MADE ME HARDCORE WITH SOUNDSYSTEM (10-year Anniversary Remaster) "deals with the history of dance music unique to England during the 1970s to the mid-1990s." The work is comprised of found footage of existing video works, edited together and exhibited alongside a massive sound system. According to Leacky, who has consistently been interested in the question of the image, he sought to reflect on the nostalgia of the past by confronting it through video footage.

The title, Fiorucci, comes from a fashion brand the artist admired as a teenager. Leaky noted, "In a consumer society, a certain brand can become quite significant for young people, and as that admiration grows, it becomes an object of faith. I found that interesting." On the other hand, the phrase "Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore" comes from a snapshot taken by Andy Warhol.

FELIX THE CAT hides in a balcony-like area on the venue's upper floor. The unexpected way in which it was displayed made the press smile at the sight of it.

This work is modeled after the renowned American character Felix the Cat. Leckey explains, "I always look for the strangest or most unnatural place in the exhibition space." When asked about his opinion on the installation in Tokyo, he replied with satisfaction: "This method is meant to be a challenge for the exhibition space and the curators, but Espace Louis Vuitton Tokyo did a great job."

Why Felix the Cat? When the first television broadcast tests were carried out in the 1930s, Felix the Cat puppet was the subject of the tests. After discovering online footage of this event, Leckey saw the character as an avatar of the transmitted image and created a large balloon to represent it as a kind of divine being. This work is also rooted in the artist's interest in images.

Leckey also left a message for the Japanese audience: "This is my first solo exhibition in Japan. From what I have seen and heard in London, I have discovered that many people in Japan are interested in London. On the other hand, many people in London are interested in Japan. Therefore, although we are showing works related to London, I believe they will not be confusing but provide a sense of similarity and familiarity."