[Image: Ayako Shiraishi]

Two stainless steel sculptures are on display.

Taro Okamoto (1911−1996) was active in a variety of artistic media. Although he started out as a painter, he later produced his first three-dimensional sculpture in 1952. By using a hybrid material of clay mixed with earth, he was able to freely mold in three dimensions. When sculpted and fired, the shapes hardened, just as he intended, retaining the same shape for many years to come. He further expanded upon this artistic technique by learning how to use plaster to reproduce shapes made from clay. He would complete works in metal or plastic by using the same plaster molds. By producing works in larger dimensions, he made sculptures that he would be installed in public spaces for all to see. Okamoto continually tested the possibilities of sculpture and 3D molding. This exhibition is testament to the unique shapes and forms he created. Lecture May 11th (Sun) "Taro Okamoto and Surrealism" by Shogo Otani (The Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo) June 7th (Sat) "Taro Okamoto and Sculpture" by Shuji Tanaka (Oita University) both starting at 14:00. Capacity: 70 people Free. Reservation not required. [Image: "Chair - Drowse" (1967) Fabric, metal]

This exhibition highlights Paris's golden age as an art capital of the world from 1830 to 1930. 150 works depicting the shifting landscape and nature of France from this period are on view. Commemorative Lectures: "19th Century the Seine and Paris" Date: April 26th (Sat) 14:00-16:00 Lecturer: Jean-Marc Leri/ Musee Carnavalet "Paris, Art of 100 Years" Date: May 11th (Sun) 14:00-16:00 Lecturer: Yoichiro Iide/ Tokyo Junshin Women's College Location: Lecture Hall Capacity: 240 people (free, first come first served) Doors open at 13:00. [Image: Pierre-Auguste Renoir "Madame Robert de Bonnieres" (1889) Oil on canvas, 117 x 89cm Musée du Petit Palais ©Photo RMN-©Bulloz/ distributed by DNPAC]

Eight years into the new millennium and the question arises: where are we headed, now that we live in the century once hailed as the future? This question is the springboard and theme for our third exhibition, starting on the first anniversary of 21_21 Design Sight's opening in 2007. The exhibition title refers of course to the 21st century, and by "Man", to those of us living here, now. The title also expresses a desire to place our hope in the future. The focus of this show is on the 21st century and its people as a means by which to explore ideas for building a better future for this century and beyond. Exhibition director Issey Miyake has done extensive research to prepare for the show, which includes a wide spectrum of Japanese and international creators, all of whom address today's many doubts and insecurities through their own individual form of creative expression. Please see the website for more information and related events.

In 1956, Taro Okamoto published a book entitled, "Traditions of Japan." The catalyst that aroused his interest in this primitive history was the exhibition "Jomon Earthenware," held at the Tokyo National Museum in 1951. Okamoto began to discern certain stylistic differences between Jomon and Yayoi earthenware - the former involved a sense of dynamism and a four-dimensional sensibility, while the latter was still and quiet, suffused by a more two-dimensional sensibility. His analysis of these issues was published in magazines, and was also included in his book on tradition. It was around this time that Okamoto began to focus on creating sculptures. By looking back at Jomon earthenware, we can begin to understand Okamoto's sculpture in a new light. This exhibition showcases paintings, sculptures, prints, and photographs that reveal Okamoto's interpretation of and response to "the tradition of Japan." [Image: "Low of the Jungle" (1950) Oil on canvas]

-27th Pal Exhibition Dates: July 1st (Tue)-July 6th (Sun) Location: Exhibition Room 1 Contact: Pal Exhibition 045-592-3489 -Sazareno-kai Exhibition Dates: July 1st (Tue)-July 6th (Sun) Location: Exhibition Room 5 Contact: Sazareno-kai 045-681-2040 -Kanagawa Prefecture Penmanship Group Exhibition Dates: July 2nd (Wed)-July 6th (Sun) Location: Exhibition Rooms 2, 3, 4 Contact: Kaneko Sekiho 045-591-0031

Kukai Exhibition -Location: Exhibition Room A on 1F -Dates & Times: June 30th (Mon)-July 6th (Sun) 11:00-19:00. Opens at 11:00 on the first day and closes at 19:00 on the last day. Aoba Tokino-kai -Location: Exhibition Room B on 2F -Dates & Times: July 2nd (Wed)-July 6th (Sun) 10:00-17:00. Opens at 13:00 on the first day and closes at 16:00 on the last day. -Contact: Aoba Calligraphy Group 045-962-4496 Takeshi Hamanaka "Babel -Story of Babel Told by Bronze Statues" -Location: Exhibition Room A on 2F -Dates & Times: July 4th (Fri)-July 6th (Sun) 10:00-18:00. Opens at 10:00 on the first day and closes at 18:00 on the last day. -Fee: ¥500 (includes post card & guide) -Contact: Pegasus 090-8432-3354 -HP: Artist Website

Tokusen Gallery -Koki Nozaka ceramics exhibition -Fumiya Kizu oil painting exhibition -Wave 2008 Kanami-no-kao nihonga exhibition Bijutsu Salon -Ko Ando ceramics exhibition Art Square -Chisato Hirano wood sculpture exhibition Craft Salon -Hiroshi Ishibashi ceramics exhibition

Opening Reception I: June 21st (Sat) 18:00 － 20:00

This exhibition, "Witches One Times One" presents a wide variety of works by unique female artists from the current art scene and also from art history. "From one make ten, and two let be, make even three, then rich you'll be. Skip o'er the four! From five and six, the Witch's tricks, make seven and eight, 'tis finished straight; and nine is one, and ten is none, that is the witch's one-time-one!" "Witches One Times One" comes from the "Witches' Theory" discussed in Goethe's "Faust". Their "mathematical" system differs from ours, implying their infinite world that transcends rationalism and its limitations. In today's context, the witches discussed here can be compared to females who hold power to create dynamic influence on the world. The female artists represented in this exhibition have potential to present their unique talent. This exhibition aims to unravel the "witches'" sparks of ideas. Talk Event: "Woman, Eternal, Beckons Us On" - Goethe June 2nd (Mon) 16:30- Location: Musashino Art University Main Building 1, Room 103 This exhibition travels to Hillside Forum in Daikanyama. Exhibition period: July 16th (Wed) - August 3rd (Sun) 11:00-19:00

Small-scale sculptures based on "wood, color and shape".

[Image: "Messenger" (2007), stainless steel, H610 x W175 x D175mm]

July 5th (Sat)-July 7th (Mon) [W:2-A] Reddars "Kokoniiru-kuukan" Group: Painting, Art Object, Sound, Film Screening, Multimedia and Performance July 6th (Sun)-July 12th (Sat) [W:1-A] Iwakan "Iwakan" Group: Painting, Illustration, Photography July 8th (Tue)-July 10th (Thu) [W:2-A] Renature "Shizenkaiki F/W 2008" Fashion July 11th (Fri)-July 13th (Sun) [W:2-A] Posucaporuca Exhibition Group: Art Object and Illustration [Image: Posucaporuca Exhibition]

Between June 21st and July 18th, TKG Daikanyama will be showing works by Tam Ochiai, Dennis Holingsworth, Bohnchang Koo, Keisuke Yamamoto, Adam Silverman, Nobuhiro Fukui and Nana Funo. Works include Tam Ochiai's "cat sculpture" series exhibited at Tomio Koyama in 2007, alluring photographs of used soap reminiscent of jewelry by Korean artist Bohnchang Koo, a drawing from Dennis Holingsworth's "Wet on Wet" series, and Keisuke Yamamoto's fantastical painting consisting of playful motifs such as trees, plants, mushrooms, and fairy-like girls. Also this exhibition presents four works by young emerging photographer Nobuhiro Fukui and a painting by Nana Funo, who is also currently holding a solo exhibition in Tomio Koyama Gallery, Kiyosumi. Flower vessels from the "Hyena" series by Adam Silverman are also on display. [Image: Nobuhiro Fukui]

[Image: "Knotting the Earth 08-1" (2008) earthen sculpture 47 × 58 × 28cm]

Opening Friday June 13, 2008, Wako Works of Art is very pleased to present a new exhibition of Danish London-based artist duo Nina Beier and Marie Lund, curated by Mami Kataoka of Mori Art Museum, Tokyo and The Hayward Gallery, London. This will be the artists' first show in Japan, and the second time the gallery will be working with a museum curator to organize an exhibition with up-and-coming artists based outside of Japan. Educated at London's Royal College of Art, Nina Beier and Marie Lund have been working together since 2003. Their work derives from a shared fascination with group dynamics and the relations between people, be they awkward, fervent, polite or tender. Through creating situations with a simple set of instructions, the artists play with social customs and allow instinctive human reactions to be observed in their plainest form. The artists have held regular solo shows at M+R Gallery in London and in V1 Gallery in Copenhagen, and have made larger solo shows at art spaces such as Spacex Gallery in Exeter, Aarhus Center for Contemporary Art and Overgaden - Institute of Contemporary Art in Denmark. Recent group shows include "From a Distance" at Wallspace, New York, "This is a gettogether" at Skuc Gallery, Ljubljana, "Abstract Things" at Laura Bartlett Gallery, London and "Collectivity" at YBCA, San Francisco. New works by Beier and Lund made during and after their residency in Japan at Tokyo Wonder Site - Institute of Contemporary Art and International Cultural Exchange from February 1 to March 31, 2008 will be on display in the two rooms at Wako Works of Art. The artists are currently working on a series of new works, which deal with the writing of collective history with a focus on the dynamics between the shared and the individual identity, and examine how history is assembled in memory, recording, restaging and retelling. On exhibit will be: "The Archives (World Peace)", a series of framed second-hand peace posters folded over themselves inside the frames; "History Makes a Young Man Old", a crystal ball carrying the markings of having been rolled to its final destination (the gallery space), and a number of other new works of video and installation. Reception for the Artists: June 13th (Fri) 18:00-20:00

This exhibition has been made possible by the collaboration between Collection de l'Art Brut in Switzerland and Borderless Art Museum NO-MA in Shiga. Art Brut (Outsider Art) refers to artworks created by artists without formal education in art. These works come from the artists and their strong desire to create art, and are rarely influenced by trends. Therefore, these works of Art Brut reflect an "impulse of expression" that is fundamental to humanity. In this exhibition, the Art Brut in Europe and America and outsider art in Japan meet. The exhibition offers an opportunity to feel the universal dream, freedom, and power of creative activity that goes beyond differences in cultural and historical contexts.

The Universtiy Art Museum will present the "Geidai Collection" exhibition in order to introduce the art collection of the Tokyo University of the Arts. The collection, whose formation began with the establishment of the Tokyo School of Fine Arts 120 years ago, contains such diverse works as antique arts, modern Japanese-style paintings, Western-style paintings, prints, sculptures and crafts, as well as works by the University's former teachers and students, consisting of over 29,000 items in total, including 22 that have been designated important cultural properties. The spring-season Geidai Collection Exhibition held from April is a regular showcase of some of the major works from this collection. In the past academic year, the Museum organized special exhibitions of "Western-style Japanese painters, Paris" and "Okakura Tenshin: The Course of Art Education" to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the founding of the University. This was a prominent showcase of a number of major works from the collection and a reaffirmation of its historical importance. There are many works in the collection, however, which have been recognized as major pieces but have rarely had opportunities to be exhibited. In light of this, this season's Geidai Collection Exhibition has chosen to exhibit works that have not yet been exhibited in recent years, showing them alongside other major works of antique arts, modern Japanese-style painting, Western-style painting, sculpture, craft and design. In particular, antique arts, modern Japanese-style paintings and drawings are exhibited over three separate periods so that visitors to the exhibition can see as many works as possible. In addition, this Geidai Collection Exhibition has two special sections: 1. "Tokyo School of Fine Arts and Bauhaus" As a related project to "the BAUHAUS Experience, Dessau", an ongoing exhibition that is being held at the Museum almost concurrently (April 26th-July 21st), this section showcases a selection of graduation works from the Zuan ("Design") Department of the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (today, the Department of Design and Department of Architecture) from the Taisho and early Showa periods that reveals the influence of Bauhaus on the School. 2. "Kazuo Kikuchi and His Legacy" 2008 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kazuo Kikuchi (1908-1985), a former professor of sculpture at the University. This section focuses on works by Kikuchi and some of the other sculptors related to him drawn from the Museum's collection. *Exhibited works will be changed throughout the exhibition period, with the following 3 sessions: The 1st period: April 10th (Thu) - May 11th (Sun) The 2nd period: May 13th (Tue) - June 15th (Sun) The 3rd period: June 17th (Tue) - July 21st (Mon/National Holiday)

Yuji Nishijima is a sculptor in search of his own notion of the medium, creating works using materials such as iron, concrete and wire. His interest lies not only in the works themselves, but also with his relationship to the audiences that come to his exhibitions. He defines this relationship as a part of his work. At this exhibition entitled "An Indication of Existence", Nishijima will create his sculptures in the form of his own body using numerous coils of copper wire. Opening reception, viola performance by Nao Kaneko, public demonstration July 3rd (Thu) 19:00-21:00

Takehiko Sanada was born in Tokyo in 1962. After graduating from the Kuwazawa Design Research Institute, he worked as a fashion designer. In search of more free modes of expression, Sanada then spent time in England working as assistant to sculptor Richard Deacon. After studying sculpture, Sanada experienced communal living with Eskimos in Greenland in the Arctic Circle, learning about the indigenous culture of the Inuits. After returning to Japan in 1995, Sanada exhibited his installation and sculptural work using goat and other animal hair and vegetal fibers at various venues, such as the Roppongi Crossing exhibition at the Mori Art Museum and Maison Hermes. In addition, he also organized numerous projects held to reconsider the place of traditional local Japanese textile cultures in places like Koiwai farm in Iwate prefecture and the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale. Sanada, who has in recent years conducted fieldwork projects and organized group exhibitions to involve local areas with a relationship to the ground, will show new works at this exhibition, his first solo show in 6 years, featuring 3D works spun out of the animal and plant materials that were his starting point for sculpture. The result is work that enables viewers to actually feel the palpable sense of "life" that is at the origin of these materials. [Image: "Transition No.1" (2008) wool, alpaca, mohair]

During the late Edo period, Jonin Mokujiki traveled on foot all over Japan and carved numerous Buddha figures. Born in 1718 in the village of Kai county (present Yamanashi prefecture), Mokujiki became a priest at age 22. When he was 56, Mokujiki began his religious pilgrimage, and after turning 60, finally started making Buddha statues. He is said to have created more than 1000 figures as traveling throughout Japan. During these years of vigorous activity, he cultivated unconventional style of his own. Since many of his Buddhas have a slight smile on their lips, they became known as "smiling Buddha" among pious people. Celebrating the 290 anniversary of Mokujiki's birth, the Sogo Museum of Art is holding large-scale retrospective for the first time in a decade, showcasing approximately 130 Buddha statues as well as about 30 documents. It will be a great opportunity for viewers to encounter a vast collection of his work brought together from around the country. -Special Talk "Mokujiki Discovered by Muneyoshi Yanagi" Date & Time: July 6th (Sun) 14:00 Capacity: 80 people Fee: Free *Numbered tickets will be distributed from 10:00 on July 6th at the entrance of the museum. -Gallery Talk The museum's curator gives commentaries on exhibited work. Date & Time: Every Saturday 14:00 [Image: "Amitabha Tathagata" Kosho-in collection (Kanagawa prefecture)]

Gallery Side 2 is pleased to present "Transaction," a two-person exhibition by Yumiko Furukawa and Yasuko Watanabe. Yumiko Furukawa creates sculptural works that question the gap in perception between oneself and others by quoting popular novels. In this exhibition, she captures scenery intuitively in the form of sculpture. Yasuko Watanabe, a young and emerging female artist who held her debut solo exhibition in January this year, has produced works by utilizing various media such as photography, drawing and sculpture. Her works make free associations with the world outside the frame, dancing lightly at the boundary between the usual and the unusual.

Command N celebrates 10 years since its founding this year. Taking inspiration from the activities it has organized so far, this "Secret Auction @ Kandada" event aims to create a prime space and opportunity for audiences to encounter directly the art they love. The auction allows viewers to take in the work on display while taking into consideration the prices that the artists themselves have suggested for each work. Viewers then bid for the works according to their own desired prices, which are not revealed. Only the winning bid will be announced at a later date. Visitors can take their time to enjoy the work on display over 18 days from June 20th to July 19th, getting acquainted with the works and their suggested prices, trying their hand at coming to understand what it means to attach a price to an artwork and thinking about what value a piece of art possesses, monetary or otherwise. This practice, where bonds between artist and artwork, artwork and viewer are constructed, while normally known as a silent auction, is called a "secret auction" at Kandada. In conjunction with the auction, artists who have been involved with Command N projects, as well as next-generation young artists, will exhibit works in a wide variety of media - painting, sculpture, video, fashion, etc. Opening party and artist talk: June 20th (Fri), doors open 18:30, talk starts 19:30 Live performance by Oragan-o-rounge Great opportunity for visitors to meet exhibiting artists directly. Let's shrink the distance between ourselves and the art! Free entry (one drink order) Release of auction prices + closing party: July 26th (Sat) 18:00- 18:00 Release of auction prices 19:30 Closing party There will also be talks with exhibiting artists. Free entry (drink order requested)

"I want to see the borders of invisible things", says Ai Fujiyoshi (b. 1975). She visualizes this obsession in her work. Two years ago, she made her debut with the large-scale work "Swimming Pool" at Roppongi Weissfeld. The "water" that fills the pool was made of beautiful blue resin, and for the production of this piece, she set up a fund to cover the high cost. The piece actually didn't fit through the stairs of the gallery building because of its size and weight. In order to hold the exhibition, they removed the back wall and used a crane to install it. The tranquil and yet dynamic exhibition was received very well, and after the exhibition the work was included in a group exhibition at the Yokohama Museum of Art. The work is now privately owned. Two years have passed since her previous exhibition, Fujiyoshi found a new motif, "roots". "Roots" are obviously a significant part of any kinds of plant, staying underground and out of sight in oder to play their role. Here again, she was driven by the conflicting idea of visualizing what we can't normally see. This exhibition presents a large resin sculpture of roots hung from the ceiling, and new paintings by Fujiyoshi. Opening Party: July 4th (Fri) 19:00

This exhibition at Gallery Teo is the first gallery show for two young artists who have just completed their graduate studies. Aki Inomata, who is showing in Room One, was born in 1983. She majored in Advanced Arts and graduated from the Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music this March. In today's media-saturated environment where digital networks have almost completely replaced face-to-face contact and letters as communication tools, and where digitally processed information has become ubiquitous, this digitally-controlled information makes up an entire virtual world that appears to continually displace reality. Inomata ventures to tackle the perfectly ordinary and familiar aspects of life - enjoying the movement of ripples on the surface of water, wiping condensation off car windows, making tracks on fallen snow...Through carefully conceived installations, Inomata allows audiences to reexperience these "real" sensations by paradoxically using digitally-controlled virtual means of expression. This work also comes out of experience working in theater with Juro Kara, using the man-made device of the stage fused against a background of nature, using that natural backdrop as a form of "borrowed scenery" (shakkei). This installation works with the same principles of economy. The work "0100101" in this exhibition seems to be standing on the surface of a body of water, but is in fact a virtual projection of water ripples on the floor with a palpable form. More than the perception of a "real" water surface and its ripples, however, what is more striking is the feeling of brimming color and light, prompting a reconsideration of realistic sensations ironically through the deployment of virtual means used to achieve that effect. On display in Room Two is the work of Aki Toiya, born in 1980. Toiya graduated this March from the oil painting course at Musashino Art University. While studying there, Toiya worked mostly with skirt designs and braided cords, expressing these aspects of "girlhood" through oil paintings and sculptures. Toiya gives subjective expression to what she calls "crystals of memory" lying latent in each of us, things we have felt and registered as emotions, overlapping and intertwining with each other in complex ways. The largest work in this exhibition, a painting entitled "Twilight" measuring 2.6 meters across, depicts landscapes and sceneries from memory that prompt viewers to wonder if they have not themselves seen them somewhere. In another two-meter painting entitled "uta", a girl's skirt appears positively unreal, being made up of many faces and alternately absorbing and radiating light. "Banana's Torso," a ceramic sculpture, captures the whirlwind dance made by the skirt of a girl spinning round and round, giving the illusion of perpetual movement and the feeling of a living, moving thing.

Shotaro Hokari, born in 1985, graduated with a degree in sculpture from Wako University and has been exhibiting his work since 2004. Invited as a guest artist to the renowned 101 Tokyo Contemporary Art Fair 2008 this April, he aired his work to the greater arts community in the city, propelled by his unique style. One of his latest and most popular works, 'Karma', was displayed at the entrance to the Art Fair exhibition center. His outstanding works, including 'Karma', will be displayed at CASHI Gallery alongside his other new pieces, including an installation based around the "Metamorphosis from Darkness". Reception Party: July 4th (Fri) 19:00 [Image: "Karma" (2008) FRP acrylic H110 x W210 x D50cm]

This third "contemporary Japanese" exhibition at the Claska's Gallery and Shop Do features W+K Tokyo Lab, a worldwide collective of 42 artists working with the idea of "Tokyo Ten". Visuals, video work and music all find a place in this project, which makes bold use of the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Claska. The original sculptures, models and prints whose copies will be compiled into a book scheduled to be released in mid-July will be given a sneak advance exhibition here. Tokyo Ten Exhibition Opening Party: June 27th (Fri) 19:00-23:00

Each of the artists in this exhibition is currently engaged in researching the possibilities of sculpture and three-dimensional form, each in their different ways. This exhibition entitled "Crystallization" is a demonstration of that research. The artists have examined the idea of atoms and molecules in metallic elements, how they follow certain regular patterns and exhibit a crystallization effect according to these patterns.

This exhibition focuses attention on the question of desire at the root of one's appetite, featuring photographs of soap bubbles against dining tables laden with food, and sculptures made up of piled-up white porcelain tableware. Whereas wild animals like lions only attack other animals when their stomachs are empty, the appetites and desires of humans recognize fewer restrictions. One example is the "vomiting room" that existed in ancient Rome. In order for the Romans to wrangle maximum enjoyment from the act of dining, they would adjourn to the vomiting room in order to get rid of the satiety of the preceding meal, and then return to the table in order to eat again. Human appetite sometimes acts in defiance of nourishment. Originally tied to the sustenance of life, functioning as a replenishing, self-regulatory impulse, appetites have taken on a very different form in modern societies. In Japan, recent years have seen a gourmet food boom, with an accompanying rise in sales of gourmet magazines. TV programs that deal with food are also constantly being broadcast. Foreigners from other societies who visit Japan seem to be genuinely surprised at this spectacle. Although Japanese culinary culture has much to boast about, enjoying an especially elevated reputation abroad, considerably different appetites and desires are being stirred up domestically in one of the most stressful societies in the world. Opening party: June 1st (Sun) 14:00-

Maddelena Sisto (born 1951 in Alexandria, passed away 2000 in Milan) was a world-renowned illustrator who worked with magazines like Italian Vogue and Elle Deco, and was also something of a legend in the Italian fashion world. For 30 years since the 70's, Sisto expressed the zeitgeist through her work with remarkable flair. Unfortunately, her prolific career was cut short In 2000, when she fell victim to cancer and passed away shortly after. This show is a traveling exhibition that was inaugurated in 2004 at the Milan Triennale, organized by Franca Sozzani, the charismatic editor of Italian Vogue. Now arriving in Japan, it has been extremely well-received in Italy owing to its comprehensive documentation of changing times through the medium of fashion. About 1000 works by Sisto will be on display, including around 100 original watercolors on the subject of fashion and design, as well as art objects, sculptures, and photographs. In these autographed works, Sisto captured and reflected the spirit of an age through her astute illustrations, infused not only with her exceptional talent, but also her sharp eye for irony.

Hyun's work resembles long ceramic cords that have been twisted and coaxed into spirals, with ball-like parts that seem to be gradually expanding. The textures of these sculptures, although ceramic, remind one instead of metal, layered with a coat of copper rust. One unique feature of Hyun's work is the use of a peacock (verdigris-colored) glaze on top of the red copper clay, so that even as the work acquires a seemingly pliable shape and structure, it retains a heavy sense of gravitas. Each piece measures around 60cm by 2m, and the larger pieces weigh upwards of 100kg. These donut shapes began life on the potter's wheel, cut up and pasted to form these shapes. Hyun is a young 30 year old artist from Pusan, and this is his first solo exhibition. After studying ceramics at Pusan Art University, Hyun went to Osaka Art University for graduate studies, and is currently employed at a ceramics company in Shigaraki while continuing to make work. According to Hyun, ceramics from Pusan bore strong traces of American culture that exchange students carried back with them after returning to Korea. Wanting to find out more about what potters of his generation were doing with the art, Hyun studied in Japan, where he thrived in the relative freedom of the creative environment. Hyun's other inspiration is the branch of ancient learning known as "eastern studies", which resembles religious belief - based on the fact that deities reside within us, we should dig deep within ourselves in order to learn. The 4 new works at this exhibition reflect something of this quietude, as well as the beautiful, still colors of Pusan's ocean.

Known internationally as a great innovator of modern ceramics, Carlo Zauli (1926-2002) was an Italian master ceramic artist who had considerable influence also on Japanese counterparts. This is the first retrospective exhibition after his death, planned as part of international exchange with Faenza, the city where Zauli was active as a ceramic artist. While thoroughly exploring the possibilities of clay in his dynamic ceramic sculptures, Zauli also displayed unusual talent in his subtle, elaborate architectural façades and tile designs. This show traces his forty-year career after 1951. [Image: "Winged Cube" (1976, Carlo Zauli Museum) Photo: Massimiliano Fantini]

This exhibition features the work of Kenji Suzuki and Hiroko Fujino, attempting to read and take apart the landscape of cities through multiple viewpoints. While their techniques are different, their concerns and sympathies are similar. Kenji Suzuki was born in Shizuoka prefecture in 1966 and graduated from the course in western painting (yoga) at the department of figurative arts at Kyoto Zokei Art University in 2003. Suzuki produces layered paintings composed of multiple landscapes using a controlled palette and restrained lines. In recent years, he has started working with the particular texture and feel of silver paint. Hiroko Fujino was born in Tokyo in 1984 and graduated from the industrial design department at Musashino Art University in 2007. She is currently a candidate for the Masters degree in industrial design, specializing in glass, at Tama Art University. While making use of the unique feel and texture of glass, Fujino produces 3D works that capture the dual nature of cityscapes - back and front, destruction and creation, etc. Opening Reception: July 5th (Sat) 18:00- [Image: Kenji Suzuki, "Color of Vision" (2008), oil on canvas, 909×1167mm]

This exhibition is part of a special "Dialogue with Materials" series at the Tatebayashi Museum in Gunma Prefecture. Taking paper as its theme in 2002 and wood in 2004, the exhibition series introduced audiences to notions of shape and form through ancient relics, daily household goods, toys and works of contemporary art that made potent use of properties unique to each material. The museum also provided a space for a wide range of people to engage first-hand with the art, organizing a variety of events that included creative workshops for parents and children and sessions for getting up and close with artists and their process of creation. This exhibition is the 3rd installment in the series, taking earth as its theme. This material has been instrumental in the cultivation of crops and fields since ancient times, also effectively acting as a convenient and malleable tool for artistic production, occupying a central role in the life and work of humans. The unique appeal and qualities of this material will be on display over 2 sections: "The Relationship between Man and Earth" puts on display a wide range of materials such as Jomon era clay vessels, tiles, earthen pipes and clay dolls, while "The Colors, Sounds and Shapes of Earth" focuses on works by contemporary artists that use this material as either their medium or subject. In addition, a space for visitors to become more closely acquainted with the museum will be set up - a space where events such as artist talks and workshops conducted by contemporary artists and creative DIY "ateliers" and corners will be set up. See the museum website for more details on the schedule of events.

Walking around the museum grounds reveals a wealth of color, sound and light waiting to be discovered. In addition, the various exhibited works, workshops - not to mention the picturesque pond facing the Kamukura annex - all serve as a connecting point for the art, expanding the horizon and experience of the exhibition. A total of 5 workshops are planned over the period of the exhibition. [Image: Masamichi Yamamoto, "Landscape with Visible Ruins", 1976]

Commemorating the 10th anniversary of the museum, this exhibition sheds light on Taro Okamoto's "Tower of the Sun," a monument created for the Japan World Exposition held in 1970. The work symbolizes "the progress and harmony of human beings." Okamoto wanted to build something extremely "absurd" that stood out in the expo crowded with modernist pavilions. This idea of a "festival" transcending any nationality, race, or language barriers was prominent in the monument. The tower contains "Tree of Life" which illustrates the growth of humanity. Also, the internal space is divided into parts, each of which represent the past, present, and future, unfolding the dynamism of life, which has always existed around us. The monument is an ultimate compilation of Okamoto's philosophy and theory of art. This exhibition introduces everything about the "Tower of the Sun" through video documentation, along with Okamoto's sketches and writings. Please see the museum website for more details.

Suma Maruki (1875-1956) began painting after she turned 70, and for the 11 years until she passed away at the age of 81, she created more than 700 works. She was encouraged to start painting by her sun Iri Maruki and his wife Toshi, known for their collaborative work "Hiroshima Panels". Suma painted trees, flowers, her pet dog and cat, fresh vegetables, insects, and birds, depicting lives seen in everyday life. Suma's energetic and rich colors gained much acclaim at Female Painter's Association Exhibition and Nihon Bijutsu-in Exhibition. Today also, sincere and gentle feelings expressed in her work are communicated to many people. This exhibition consists of around 100 works mainly from the collections of Maruki Gallery in Matsuyama City in Saitama Prefecture. Also, this exhibition presents works by contemporary artists such as Eisaku Ando, Yoko Kawashima, and Yoshihiro Suda, who share same interest as Suma, focusing on fragile and yet immense power of lives in nature. -Talk "Where Painting Exists - Modern Times and Suma Maruki" July 13th (Sun) 15:00-16:30 Where: Lecture Hall (2F) Lecturer: Arthur Binard (poet) Capacity: 100 people (first come first serve, numbered ticket will be available at the reception from 10:00 on the day of the talk). Free. -Artist Talk July 6th (Sun) 15:30-16:00 Yoko Kawashima August 9th (Sat) 15:00-15:30 Eisaku Ando August 10th (Sun) 15:00-15:30 Yoshihiro Suda Where: Gallery space (2F) Fee: admission ticket required [Image: Suma Maruki "Vegetables" (1953) Maruki Gallery Collection]

Fumio Asakura is known as the father of Japanese Modern Sculpture. Originally built as Asakura's home atelier, Asakura Choso Museum has a permanent exhibit of his major works. Closed from Dec. 29 to Jan. 3.

The Hakone Open-Air Museum was opened in 1969 to create a harmonic balance of the great nature of Hakone and Art. The unique experiences of open-air museum await you, as different seasons and weather create an ever-changing sensation of true art. The Museum realizes the philosophy of Henry Moore “Sculpture is an art of the open-air” with a grand backdrop of Hakone's great nature.

The First floor of the Heiseikan is dedicated to the display of archaeological finds from Japan.

Masterpieces of Japanese Art, spanning the Jomon era to the Edo period.

The museum collection consists of 1210 pieces centering upon 20th century works depicting the . 540 are works by Renoir, Bonnard, Picasso, Matisse, Leger, Chagall, Kokoschka, Milo, Dali, and de Kooning, and 670 are by unique Japanese artists. 130-200 selections from the permanent collection are on display at any given time, and will rotate every quarter.

Our permanent exhibition, held on the first floor, features the work of metal-cast artists Hotsuma Katori and Shinobu Tsuda. Both being born in the same period, in the Hokuso area of Chiba Prefecture, the two were opposites in artistic viewpoints; Katori emphasized tradition while Tsuda called for revolution. Works on display will be rotated every three months.

Using three floors of the main building, this permanent exhibition presents about 200 to 250 pieces selected from our museum's collection of about 9,200 works, including Japanese- and Western-style paintings, watercolors, drawings, prints, photographs and sculptures, to provide a historical overview on modern Japanese art from the beginning of the 20th century to present. The show also includes some overseas works related to Japanese pieces. Many of the exhibits are largely replaced five times a year. In addition to the historical approach, a smaller show, "Topic in Focus" is given in each exhibition period to shed new light on modern Japanese art. The permanent collection is displayed in regular rotation. Please check the museum's website for details.

The NMWA was established in 1959 around the core Matsukata Collection as Japan's museum specializing in Western art. The Main Building displays pre-18th century paintings, including those by Ritzos, Van Cleve, Veronese, Rubens, Van Ruysdael, and Ribera. The New Wing displays 19th to early 20th century French paintings, including works by Delacroix, Courbet, Manet, Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Moreau. The galleries also feature works by the next generation of artists, such as Marquet, Picasso, Soutin, Ernst, Miro, Dubuffet and Pollock. The NMWA drawing collection centers on works by such 18th to 19th century French artists as Boucher, Fragonard, Delacroix, Moreau, Rodin, and Cezanne. The prints collection features works by Durer, Holbein, Rembrandt, Callot, Piranesi, Goya, and Klinger, ranging from the 15th century through the early 20th century. The NMWA also houses some 58 sculptures by Auguste Rodin, including three works displayed in the museum's forecourt, the Thinker, the Gates of Hell, and the Burghers of Calais. Other pre and post Rodin sculptors featured in the collection include Carpeaux, Bourdelle and Maillol.

Niki de Saint Phalle, a French-American, was born in 1930. She kept challenging new materials, while pursuing a life-long theme of self-reflection and wish for freedom. The Niki Museum owns about 200 pieces of work by the artist. About 100 of them, centered around large sculptures, are on permanent exhibition.

Walking through the Rodin Wing is like a stroll through a garden of sculptures. Natural light through a rugby-ball shaped roof provides the illumination. The whole wing is visible from the entrance floor. 32 works by Rodin are displayed on the skip floor, including the famous “Gates of Hell”. Sculptures pre- and post- Rodin are also on exhibition for a sum total of 47 works on display. An aural guide commentary is also available at no extra fee.

Artworks and crafts from China, the Korean peninsula, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, and Egypt, organized by area and genre.

Utsunomiya Museum of Art collects post-20th century works of art and design. The permanent exhibition is rotated 3 to 4 times a year, and a thematic mini-exhibition is also held 1 to 2 times a year.

What does "Japan" mean to you? Discussions surrounding what "Japan" and "Japanese" should be often take place nowadays. As a part of Asia, and the world, "Japan" or "Japanese" cannot be simply defined by the nationality, language, geography, history, religion or any of those vague conceptions. It is always important that all of us keep questioning what "Japan" means, and its possible answers to ourselves, thinking beyond stereotypes and generalization. "Japan Collage 2008" is an annual exhibition organized by Gallery K, aiming to create an occasion for people to be engaged in thinking, feeling, and expressing "Japan". Fourteen artists' works are collaged in the gallery space, revealing their own standpoints and complex nature of "Japaneseness". Gallery Live & Talk July 12th (Sat) 15:00-16:00 Live (video by Nobuhiko Uchiumi x sax by Teru Uchida) 16:00-17:30 Talk by Sociologist Kensuke Suzuki x Artist Nobuhiko Uchiumi

Tokusen Gallery -Morihiro Wada ceramics exhibition -Tadao Motoyama oil painting exhibition -Sen Murakami oil painting Bijutsu Salon -Peter Harmon ceramics exhibition Art Square -Small wooden sculpture collection Craft Salon -Hiroshi Ishibashi ceramics exhibition

This is an international exhibition of contemporary art from France, Korea, U.S., and China. This exhibition is also accompanied by an open call exhibition taking "global environment" as the main theme.

Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music Sculpture Department is holding an exhibition at the Ueno Royal Museum on the theme of "crossing" focusing on the relationship between sculpture and community. This is the 2nd edition of "Sculptural Landscape" exhibition which is part of researching projects conducted by the Ueno Town Art Museum since last year. Taito ward is the area where its culture has been nurtured through the encounter between traditions (historical legacy) and novelties. This exhibition aims to embody stimulating phenomena occurring at the crossing of the old and new, and interpret them through the form of sculpture. Location: Ueno Royal Museum Gallery -Gallery Talk Date & Time: July 20th (Sun) 14:00 Guests: 6 artists, Takeshi Hayashi, Mio Nakajima (art critic)

The search for an individual style has unfolded and evolved with great vigor throughout the history of modern and contemporary art. Consider the Impressionist artists such as Claude Monet and Pierre-August Renoir, who looked beyond traditional painting in search of new forms of art, or Paul Cézanne, whose work was a major influence on the birth of Cubism. Explore Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso, constant leaders in 20th century art. Then there came the birth and evolution of Abstract art. Rethink Western-style artists in Japan who, while mastering the techniques and themes of Western art, struggled with the challenge of establishing, as Japanese artists, their own voices and styles. This exhibition of 180 paintings and sculptures from the Bridgestone Museum of Art collection offers a delightful stroll, room by room, through these historic developments in the world of art. [Image: Claude Monet "Twilight, Venice" (c. 1908)]

Joseph Bolstad and Mayuko Kono will be exhibiting 14 works in the gallery space as well as one large-scale outdoor collaborative work made of plastic baskets. Having worked closely together for the past five years, both artists have developed a keen interest in ordinary objects as a starting point for creating their works, Bolstad frequently manipulates toys and other items into darkly humorous patterned configurations, while Kono’s works are ethereal transformations of items seen in everyday life. Opening Reception: August 29th (Fri) 18:00-20:30 *Open on weekends only.