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Tatsuo Kawaguchi "Reconsideration − Dandelion of Hiroshima"
SNOW Contemporary 
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Tatsuo Kawaguchi
Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1940, Tatsuo Kawaguchi creates artwork themed around various elements such as energy, time, life, and the universe, focusing on their relational dynamics. His body of work integrates natural materials like plants, water, and air with metals such as lead and iron, employing techniques like heating and corrosion in his creative process. Unbound by conventional media or forms of expression, Kawaguchi presents his work in a distinctive manner.
Starting in the 1960s, Kawaguchi co-founded the group "I" with artists in Kobe in 1965. He participated in significant exhibitions such as the "Human and Matter" Exhibition (1970), the 8th Paris Biennale (1973), and "Magicians of the Earth" held at the Pompidou Center in 1989, earning international acclaim. In 1982, he initiated the "Relation - Seeds" series, initially creating works covering plant seeds with copper, which shifted to using lead following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. In that same year, Kawaguchi encapsulated over 170 types of seeds in lead in his work "Relation - Seeds" (1986).
In 1995, Kawaguchi's perspective broadened during the creation of "Relation - Lead Greenhouse: Dandelion of Hiroshima" exhibited at the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art's "Hiroshima After 50 Years - Messages from Contemporary Art," focusing on non-human organisms such as cats, dogs, wild birds, and plants that were exposed to the atomic bomb created by humans. As a metaphor, he chose the universally recognized dandelion as the motif for his artwork. "Dandelion of Hiroshima" involved collecting dandelions that had survived 50 years since the end of World War II, cutting two rectangular lead plates to match the size of the dandelion, and sandwiching the dandelion with its seeds between these two lead plates to protect and preserve it.
In this exhibition, approximately 20 artworks will be displayed, including "Relation - Plants・Dandelion of Hiroshima" created around the same time as the aforementioned piece, and new drawings like "Dandelion of Hiroshima from 1995." This exhibition offers a precious opportunity to explore the "Dandelion of Hiroshima" series and the current work of contemporary artist Tatsuo Kawaguchi.
Starting in the 1960s, Kawaguchi co-founded the group "I" with artists in Kobe in 1965. He participated in significant exhibitions such as the "Human and Matter" Exhibition (1970), the 8th Paris Biennale (1973), and "Magicians of the Earth" held at the Pompidou Center in 1989, earning international acclaim. In 1982, he initiated the "Relation - Seeds" series, initially creating works covering plant seeds with copper, which shifted to using lead following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. In that same year, Kawaguchi encapsulated over 170 types of seeds in lead in his work "Relation - Seeds" (1986).
In 1995, Kawaguchi's perspective broadened during the creation of "Relation - Lead Greenhouse: Dandelion of Hiroshima" exhibited at the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art's "Hiroshima After 50 Years - Messages from Contemporary Art," focusing on non-human organisms such as cats, dogs, wild birds, and plants that were exposed to the atomic bomb created by humans. As a metaphor, he chose the universally recognized dandelion as the motif for his artwork. "Dandelion of Hiroshima" involved collecting dandelions that had survived 50 years since the end of World War II, cutting two rectangular lead plates to match the size of the dandelion, and sandwiching the dandelion with its seeds between these two lead plates to protect and preserve it.
In this exhibition, approximately 20 artworks will be displayed, including "Relation - Plants・Dandelion of Hiroshima" created around the same time as the aforementioned piece, and new drawings like "Dandelion of Hiroshima from 1995." This exhibition offers a precious opportunity to explore the "Dandelion of Hiroshima" series and the current work of contemporary artist Tatsuo Kawaguchi.
Schedule | Jul 17 (Wed) 2024-Aug 24 (Sat) 2024 Opening Hours Information
Opening Reception Jul 17 (Wed) 2024 17:00 - 19:00 | ||||
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| Fee | Free | ||||
| Venue | SNOW Contemporary http://www.snowcontemporary.com/en/  | ||||
| Location | 404 Hayano Bldg., 2-13-12 Nishiazabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0031 | ||||
| Access | 8 minute walk from exit 2 at Roppongi Station on the Toei Oedo or Hibiya line, 9 minute walk from exit 5 at Nogizaka Station on the Chiyoda line, 10 minute walk from exit 4 at Hiroo Station on the Hibiya line. | ||||
| Phone | 03-6427-2511 | ||||
| Related images | Click on the image to enlarge it |
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