Posted:Sep 30, 2009

Mariko Mori Opening Reception

Mariko Mori’s new show “Flat Stone” opened at SCAI The Bathhouse.

SCAI The Bathhouse is one of the best galleries in Tokyo, not only for hosting great exhibitions and artists but also for its own architecture, having been created in a former public bath in the Ueno area.
SCAI The Bathhouse is one of the best galleries in Tokyo, not only for hosting great exhibitions and artists but also for its own architecture, having been created in a former public bath in the Ueno area.
Photo: Maurizio Mucciola

On September 7 many people gathered at the gallery, including the artist Mariko Mori herself, for the vernissage of the new exhibition 'Flat Stone'.
On September 7 many people gathered at the gallery, including the artist Mariko Mori herself, for the vernissage of the new exhibition 'Flat Stone'.
Photo: Maurizio Mucciola

The eponymous central 'Flat Stone' piece is apparently inspired by an old tradition of making stone circles in order to celebrate the winter solstice. Mori's twenty-two stones are not real ones. These stones are instead hyper-real stones, made out of incredibly smooth ceramic.
The eponymous central 'Flat Stone' piece is apparently inspired by an old tradition of making stone circles in order to celebrate the winter solstice. Mori's twenty-two stones are not real ones. These stones are instead hyper-real stones, made out of incredibly smooth ceramic.
Photo: Maurizio Mucciola

Mariko Mori (right) during the vernissage was incredibly kind with all the guests, talking and explaining about the works to them, including Johnnie Walker (left).
Mariko Mori (right) during the vernissage was incredibly kind with all the guests, talking and explaining about the works to them, including Johnnie Walker (left).
Photo: Maurizio Mucciola

Mariko Mori explaining to a guest about the ceramic 'hyper stones'.
Mariko Mori explaining to a guest about the ceramic 'hyper stones'.
Photo: Maurizio Mucciola

Photo: Maurizio Mucciola

The artist entertaining guests, with her paintings and drawings in the background.
The artist entertaining guests, with her paintings and drawings in the background.
Photo: Maurizio Mucciola

A visitor staring at one of the paintings exhibited in the first room of the gallery.
A visitor staring at one of the paintings exhibited in the first room of the gallery.
Photo: Maurizio Mucciola

The paintings had very subtle three dimensional elements made by the paint, which had a powerful effect against the white canvas and the white background of the gallery walls.
The paintings had very subtle three dimensional elements made by the paint, which had a powerful effect against the white canvas and the white background of the gallery walls.
Photo: Maurizio Mucciola

All the painting motifs felt both like a sort of universe, like a planet or a galaxy, as well as being very cellular or atomic. They created a close relation between two incredibly different scales.
All the painting motifs felt both like a sort of universe, like a planet or a galaxy, as well as being very cellular or atomic. They created a close relation between two incredibly different scales.
Photo: Maurizio Mucciola

A planet, or a mono-cellular organism…
A planet, or a mono-cellular organism…
Photo: Maurizio Mucciola

Detail of 'Parallel Brane painting I'.
Detail of 'Parallel Brane painting I'.
Photo: Maurizio Mucciola

Detail of 'Parallel Brane painting I'.
Detail of 'Parallel Brane painting I'.
Photo: Maurizio Mucciola

The gallery filled with visitors enjoying the wine, the nice temperature of a September evening in Ueno, and, of course, admiring the artworks...
The gallery filled with visitors enjoying the wine, the nice temperature of a September evening in Ueno, and, of course, admiring the artworks...
Photo: Maurizio Mucciola

Maurizio Mucciola

Maurizio Mucciola

Born in Italy in 1977, studied architecture in Milan (and Lisbon for a year). After working in different architecture and landscape design firms he decided to go back to school and spent a year and a half at the architecture school of Columbia University in New York, while at the same time collaborating and shooting photos for "Volume Magazine". Then one year in Rotterdam at the Rem Koolhaas's Office for Metropolitan Architecture before he finally landed in Tokyo in January 2009 to work at Kengo Kuma & Associates Architects. Architecture really absorbs most of its time, but sometimes he likes to take in the city and go around art galleries and museums, and try to catch Tokyo through a Nikon camera.