Hyper Japanesque assembles 8 Japanese artists whose works are modern interpretations of traditional art forms such as ceramics, printmaking, sculpting, drawing and painting. The exhibition studies how Japan and Singapore are hyper evolving countries with fast developing economies that have influenced the way cultures and traditions change with the times.
“Hyper Japanesque” (a part of SUPER JAPAN–Japanese Festival of Arts on May 13–22)
Co-curated by Hisami Omori, NPO Hexaproject, Mikiko Matsumoto, POLA Orbis Holdings Inc.
Venue: Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Jendela (Visual Arts Space)
Date: 14 Apr – 03 Jul 2016
Opening Hours: Mon – Fri, 11am – 8: 30pm | Sat, Sun & Public Holidays, 10am – 8: 30pm
Admission Price: FREE
Artists: Yuki Hasegewa, Akiko Ozawa, Naoko Yoshimoto, Keiko Matsumoto, Saya Irie, Hiroko Masuko, Yuri Suzuki, Kouichi Okamoto
*These artists have studied, lived or worked overseas before at some point in their lives, enriched by both external and internal points of view in their discourse.
“shizuku : drop” – Kouichi Okamoto
shirushi : symbol – Akiko Ozawa
sawari : texture – Yuki Hasegewa
nagame : diorama – Hiroko Masuko
irou : decoration – Keiko Matsumoto
Japan is a role model for its innovation, progressiveness, and rapid ascent in the global economy and technology ladder. While other countries were still making sense of their development status, Japan was well ahead of its peers in many ways. As a trend leader, it is at the same time able to preserve its rich cultural heritage with a dignified sense of purpose, and keeping its traditional practices and crafts pure and uncorrupted. Although it has remained resilient, societal behaviour and attitudes have been shifting over the past decades, some as a reaction to several landmark events in their nation’s history.
Each work in this exhibition is represented by a traditional Japanese character that is used to express the characteristics of the Japanese spirit that lies within; concepts of texture, symbol, happiness, vanity, diorama, echo, drop, decoration, and miniature are explored and rediscovered in new interpretations suited to a hyper-evolving society of art audiences as well as practitioners.
Visual Arts Team, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
