[Exhibition Report] Taro Okamoto Museum of Art, Kawasaki "Challenging Taro Okamoto: Yusuke Asai & Miran Fukuda" Exhibition
[Approx. 4,100 characters, approx. 65 photos] I visited the "Challenging Taro Okamoto:
Taro Okamoto Museum of Art, Kawasaki (hereinafter, Taro Museum) for the "Challenging Taro Okamoto: Yusuke Asai & Miran Fukuda" exhibition. Here are my thoughts.
▶︎ Conclusion
It was an exhibition that brought out the best of Taro Okamoto several times over! Also, the works by Taro Okamoto, Miran Fukuda, and Yusuke Asai were all enjoyable works, and I gained insights from angles not usually seen. In particular, the works by Miran Fukuda are pun-like, so even people who don't usually go to art museums can enjoy art in a carefree way. Also, there is plenty of nature near the art museum, which is refreshing, so I recommend it!
Recommendation level: ★★★☆☆
Conversational level: ★★★☆☆
Crowd level: ★★★☆☆
Exhibition name: Kawasaki City 100th Anniversary & 25th Anniversary of the Museum "Challenging Taro Okamoto: Yusuke Asai & Miran Fukuda" Exhibition
Location: Taro Okamoto Museum of Art, Kawasaki
Dates: 2024.10.17 (Thu) — 2025.1.19 (Sun)
Closed: Every Monday
Opening hours: 9:30–17:00
Address: 7-1-5 Masugata, Tama-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Access: Approx. 30-minute walk from Mukogaoka-Yuen Station, etc.
Admission (General): 1,000 yen
Advance reservation: -
Time required for exhibition: Approx. 1 hour 30 minutes
Photography: All allowed
URL: https://www.taromuseum.jp/exhibition.html
▶︎ Reason for visiting
Recently, I have been interested in Miran Fukuda. Also, I love Taro Okamoto (hereinafter, Taro). Therefore, I thought this was an exhibition where I could kill two birds with one stone, so I decided to go.
I first learned about Miran Fukuda at the "Manet in Japan" exhibition at the Nerima Art Museum. The pun-like works were fun and made me chuckle while looking at them. However, behind that, I felt a rock-and-roll, cool, critical spirit typical of contemporary art. I thought it was exactly the style I like.
▼ The exhibition at Nerima Art Museum where I first learned about Miran Fukuda
In November of this year, I saw Miran Fukuda's "still life" at the collection exhibition of the Museum of Modern Art, Gunma. This was incredibly interesting and I was glued to it. Since photography was prohibited and the image is not available anywhere on the internet, I am sorry I cannot introduce it.
▶︎ Access
The nearest station to the Taro Museum is Mukogaoka-Yuen Station. I think walking from there (about 20 minutes) is the safest bet. This time, I walked from the "Kawasaki Golf-jo Iriguchi" bus stop. When I did, I came out at the back side of the Taro Museum.
A work exhibited in the basement of the Tower of the Sun during the 1970 Osaka Expo
Address: 7-1-5 Masugata, Tama-ku, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture
▶︎ About the Kawasaki City Taro Okamoto Museum of Art
The Kawasaki City Taro Okamoto Museum of Art opened in 1999, three years after Taro's death. The construction was initiated when Taro, who was born in Kawasaki, donated 352 of his works to Kawasaki City at the age of 80 (in 1991). Ultimately, about 2,000 of Taro's works are housed here. This was my second visit, the first being in 2011.
When I think of Taro, I strongly associate him with the Osaka Expo. Because of that, I had assumed he was from the Kansai region 😅
The museum consists of permanent exhibition rooms and special exhibition rooms. There is also a cafe and a museum shop.
Incidentally, when the museum was being built, local residents protested on the grounds that it would "destroy nature." This later developed into a "Rights of Nature" lawsuit where the plaintiffs were animals, insects, and plants (a legal precedent that seems like it would be in a law textbook). After four years and 27 court hearings, the plaintiffs' claims were dismissed because it could not be said that the museum construction caused damage to the city.
▶︎ Impressions of the "Kawasaki City 100th Anniversary & Museum 25th Anniversary: Challenging Taro Okamoto: Yusuke Asai and Miran Fukuda" Exhibition
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Kawasaki City's municipal organization and the 25th anniversary of the museum's opening, we are holding an exhibition by two contemporary artists, Yusuke Asai (1981-) and Miran Fukuda (1963-). (Omitted) The two artists will exhibit their own works related to Taro Okamoto in the special exhibition room. (Omitted) In the permanent exhibition room, we will introduce Okamoto works from our collection selected by the two artists from their own unique perspectives. (Omitted) This is also an opportunity to re-examine the multifaceted nature of Okamoto's expression and philosophy through the perspectives of two contemporary artists of different generations and expressive methods.
In short, it is a unique attempt where artists Yusuke Asai and Miran Fukuda create works that pay respect to Taro's pieces, in addition to the two of them curating Taro's works.
Also, my two children were running around so much that day that they were uncontrollable. I couldn't really examine the works closely, so my comments are a bit brief 😅
✔️ Permanent Exhibition Room
I have seen permanent exhibitions at other museums that include corners related to special exhibitions. However, this is the first time I have seen the special exhibition artists curate the permanent exhibition and even write the captions. There are about 150 pieces lined up in the permanent exhibition room.
The child on the left is cute with big, bright eyes
✔️ Special Exhibition Room
1) Miran Fukuda
Technically it is meant to be placed horizontally, but I tried standing it vertically by Miran Fukuda
Fukuda is an artist who visualizes a critical gaze toward art, culture, and contemporary society. Her works, based on meticulous research and Fukuda's unique witty perspective, provide viewers with new ways of looking at things. This time, she challenges the "earnest" Taro Okamoto, as she calls him, with an entirely new collection of works.
All of Miran Fukuda's exhibited works are brand new for this exhibition! You can enjoy viewing "Taro's works as seen from Miran Fukuda's perspective" (about 15 pieces).
Miran Fukuda's work is, whether you call it honkadori (poetic allusion), homage, motif, or a pun. It is exactly the form of contemporary art I love, giving me "fun" and "a new way of seeing things".
Because Miran Fukuda and Taro have similar fundamental ideas about art, I think their works have a very high affinity.
*You do not need to take off your shoes to enter
In Miran Fukuda's cheeky sense of humor, I feel an Osaka-like atmosphere similar to Kimiyo Mishima. However, Miran Fukuda (currently 61) is an artist from Setagaya, Tokyo (I found that surprising).
▼ Impressions of Kimiyo Mishima's exhibition
The face has become like a wolf, giving it a modern feel
Even intimidating works become comical with a ring toss. Apparently, the museum staff said no to actually playing ring toss
Among Taro's works, I like "Law of the Jungle" the best. That is why I used "Law of the Jungle" as the header image for my past post about visiting the exhibition at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum.
▼ "Taro Okamoto Exhibition" held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum
The zipper is wide open on my favorite "Law of the Jungle"! 🤩
The mysterious characters around it also have slightly different poses from the original, without feeling out of place. The fact that the inside of the zipper is pure white also adds a nice touch and gives new implications. I couldn't help but grin at Miran Fukuda's loving homage.
2) Yusuke Asai
Asai is an artist who draws mythical worlds that evoke the roots of all living things using familiar materials such as soil, water, flour, tape, and pens. He is also known for creating works rooted in the land, such as using soil collected in various places where exhibitions are held as paint and collaborating with local people to create large-scale works.
Yusuke Asai used soil collected in Kawasaki City as paint and worked with volunteer staff to create a huge new work called "Arika" (Whereabouts). Including that, about 15 works are on display.
Yusuke Asai is an artist who uses soil. Given that Taro also liked Jomon pottery, the two share "soil" in common.
Used Ezo deer blood and liver as paint
The small one in the middle: Yusuke Asai, "Beginning Goo"
In addition, about 30 of Taro's works are on display in the special exhibition room (including those displayed within the installation by Miran Fukuda).
▶︎ Summary
What did you think? It was an exhibition that gives you three times the enjoyment in one go (1. Permanent exhibition curated by Miran Fukuda and Yusuke Asai, 2. Miran Fukuda x Taro Okamoto, 3. Yusuke Asai x Taro Okamoto). The collaborative works with artists who have a high affinity with Taro were finished in a way that multiplies each other's strengths, making them even more enjoyable. Because it is an exhibition that you can enjoy in a carefree way, I recommend it even to people who don't usually go to art museums!
▶︎ Today's Museum Meal
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