Exhibition Report: Artizon Museum "Brancusi: Sculpting the Essence" and "Selected Works from the Ishibashi Foundation Collection"

【Approx. 4,900 characters, approx. 55 photos】
Artizon Museum is currently hosting "Brancusi Sculpting the Essence" and "Selected Works from the Ishibashi Foundation Collection: Special Feature Corner Exhibition - Shimizu Takashi." I am writing my impressions of these exhibitions.

To start with the conclusion, I thought it was well worth visiting. This is mainly because: 1) it is the first-ever solo exhibition in Japan to bring together about 90 of Brancusi's works, 2) you can systematically understand Brancusi's evolution and philosophy, and 3) the exhibition method was interesting (though there were some issues). By all means, let's clear our minds and enjoy the exhibition. I think it is a must-see exhibition, especially for those who like contemporary art and minimal art.

▼ Exhibitions at Artizon Museum I have visited previously

▶︎ Reason for visiting

The reason for my visit was: 1) I was interested in the person called Brancusi, and 2) I was drawn to the catchphrase "Sculpting the Essence." The sense of using the word "Katadoru" (Kanji Kentei Pre-1st Grade) is wonderful.

Also, being able to see Brancusi's works all together was a draw. Apparently, this is the first-ever solo exhibition of Brancusi in Japan!

I saw Brancusi's works at the Mori Art Museum and other places when I first started getting interested in art. At that time, I only thought, "They're kind of smooth and look like pretty objects."

As I have gradually started looking at art over the last 10 years, my own preferences in art have also become clearer. I have come to hope that by gaining "realizations" and "diversity" from works, like in contemporary art, which are not part of everyday life, I can apply them to my life and work afterward.

I think that what you get when you boil down the "essence" of not just work, but of living itself, is "minimal art" like Brancusi's.

I believe it is essential to notice the "essence" in doing work as well. If there is too much useless information or phrasing, the "essence" will not be conveyed sharply. Also, in solving problems, one must solve them from the "essence" rather than from the surface. Stripping away the waste, what is the most important thing that remains at the end?, what is it in a word? I looked forward to the Brancusi exhibition for hints on that.

▼ Carl Andre also said he was influenced by Brancusi

▶︎ Impressions of "Brancusi: Sculpting the Essence"

I went on the first Saturday and Sunday after the exhibition opened, so there were a lot of visitors. I felt Brancusi's popularity once again.

Brancusi had his talent recognized by Rodin, and although he worked at Rodin's studio starting in 1907, he quit after about a month. It is said that he was opposed to clay modeling and the division of labor system. Later, he created "The Kiss" using direct carving on stone.

Brancusi must have created his works after distilling various thoughts. It is said that while continuing such thinking, it became "origin and birth of life -> archetype of all existence -> egg shape". I see, the egg shape is the root (essence) both conceptually and in shape, it makes sense.

Among them, I felt the Artizon Museum's enthusiasm in the space titled "Atelier". They used lighting with a shape I've never seen before in a museum. Because of that, this room stood out, shining brightly from afar.

For me, when I think of Brancusi, I think of "Bird in Space" that I saw at the Mori Art Museum and the Yokohama Museum of Art. I was happy to encounter the sharp "Bird in Space" again.

In this exhibition, the work that left the biggest impression on me was "The Cock." Isn't it the perfect balance of smoothness and jaggedness? I was strangely captivated by it. For some reason, I thought it looked like the Honda motorcycle logo.

Brâncuși seems to have been friends with famous people of his time, such as learning photography from Man Ray and having Duchamp promote his work in America. Brâncuși had been based in Montparnasse, Paris, since 1907. Perhaps he even interacted with Picasso?

Regarding the operations, I was concerned that there were no captions or similar information for the works, and they were only labeled with numbers. The details are meant to be checked in the exhibition list. I thought this was a rare approach for the Artizon Museum. Is this an arrangement to help visitors focus on feeling the essence of the minimalist works?

Also, works by artists like Modigliani and Duchamp (from the Artizon Museum collection) who had connections to Brâncuși were displayed here and there. These works also had no captions. Because of this, I was confused, wondering, "Is this a Brâncuși work?" I imagine some people might just say "Oh, I see!" even if they were told a Duchamp piece was a Brâncuși.

I understand the Artizon Museum's intention in not providing captions. However, I thought it would have been kinder to provide captions for works other than Brâncuși's. Or perhaps there was no need to display anything other than Brâncuși's work.

Throughout the exhibition, I thought all the works were wonderful and (aside from the caption issue) the display method was interesting. It was also good to be able to learn about Brâncuși systematically.

However, I didn't reach a deep understanding of Brâncuși's personality. This was mainly because 1) the child I went with got bored, and 2) there were many visitors. When facing works like Brâncuși's, it is better to view them alone while clearing your mind.

There was also a video playing at the venue (I didn't watch a single second of it). If I had watched it, I might have gained a deeper understanding of Brâncuși.

Furthermore, unlike the collection exhibition (mentioned later), there were no chairs or benches for visitors to rest in the Brâncuși exhibition room. I thought it would be helpful if they could install at least one for the elderly and children.

In any case, I think this rare solo exhibition, which is Brancusi's first in Japan as a pioneer of minimalist art, is worth visiting! I didn't quite reach an understanding of the 'essence' at this exhibition. However, I hope to get closer to my own personal abyss little by little by continuing to view art in the future.

▼ A 'Brancusi' exhibition is also being held at the Centre Pompidou in Paris around the same time as the Artizon Museum (March 27 – July 1, 2024)

▶︎ Impressions of 'Selected Works from the Ishibashi Foundation Collection: Special Feature Corner Exhibition - Takashi Shimizu'

The Artizon Museum holds exhibitions using three floors every season. This time, even though I intended to look through them quickly from the 6th to the 4th floor, it took a total of an hour and a half. Because of the volume, it might be unsuitable for bringing children.

▼ Below are some works that caught my eye

▶︎ Summary

What did you think? This first-ever Brancusi solo exhibition in Japan is worth visiting! It is a must-see, especially for those who like contemporary art or minimal art. I was able to catch a glimpse of Brancusi's way of thinking. The exhibition method was also interesting (though there were some issues). Also, if possible, I recommend visiting alone and clearing your mind to appreciate it.

▶︎ Today's Museum Meal

▶︎ Bonus (New Camera)

I recently bought a new camera. The Brancusi exhibition was the first exhibition I visited after switching. When I first bought it, I thought about posting on Note about the differences in usability. However, since about 10 years have passed from the release of the α7ii to the α7iv, everything has been revamped. I couldn't write down all the differences, so I decided not to post it 😅