Group show “Sustainable Sculpture”
Friday, December 11, 2020 ‒ Friday, December 25, 2020
Komagome SOKO (2-14-12, Komagome, Toshima-Ku, Tokyo, 1700003)
11:00-18:00
Closed on Monday
Admission free
Web: http://sustainablesculpture.leesaya.jp
Contact: info@leesaya.jp
Organizer: LEESAYA
Organize Cooperation: Motohiko Odani
Cooperation: AOYAMA|MEGURO, KANA KAWANISHI GALLERY, KAYOKOYUKI, SNOW Contemporary
Design: Toshiyuki Nakaie
Web Cording: ROCA
Since the spring of 2020, the fury of the Covid-19 pandemic has completely changed our lifestyles. The onset of the current “new normal” was predicted by many movies, novels, and manga, but the change came so suddenly and with such stunning effect that we all are still wondering how society as a whole can and should adapt even today.
One of the major themes in the arts is contact with the unknown in the form of “eternity,” transcending life and death. The myth of transforming human wisdom into a work to be left for all posterity has been passed on as one of the major premises of artistic expression. In the genre of sculpture in particular, artists have left behind many works with the aim of ensuring their perpetuation as objects that physically remain where they are for decades or even centuries, through efforts beginning with the selection of stone, metal, or other such materials. In the contemporary age, nevertheless, art/sculpture, and even the shape of civilization and society, continue to change by the moment.
As is clear from the SDGs* set by the United Nations member countries in 2015, the fact that the current socioeconomic system is reaching its limits is now well-nigh universally recognized. The world is fraught with problems and issues associated with repeated natural disasters, cataclysms, energy supply, and the spread of disease and the isolation it brings. How should art interpret this predicament and go about overcoming it?
As we face a critical crossroads, the key agendum is finding ways to make social structures and systems sustainable as opposed to permanent. Art is no exception here. Sculptors react sensitively to this flow, constantly struggle with physical constraints, and confront their materials alone. This exhibition rests on the belief that sculpture is indeed one of the media effective for maintaining a proper distance from the magical discourse of “eternity.” Through it, we would like to call attention to the varied approaches by contemporaneous artists who continue to produce works. What kinds of present and future will they present to us? We all can surely expect much of the “sustainability” showcased by each of their works.
Sustainable Sculpture will bring together works by 14 artists collectively representing a great diversity in respect of their places of residence, concepts, materials, and other items. Please do not miss this timely and important group show!
* SDGs: An acronym for “Sustainable Development Goals” determined at a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015. They consist of 17 goals to be embraced by the international community in common.