Kansai Scene Magazine

NOV 2005 :: 066

Shotokutaishi and the National Treasures from Horyuji Temple

Thru Dec. 4

Horyuji temple was built and established by Shotoku Taishi and was registered as one of the first two world cultural heritage items in Japan, along with Himeji castle in 1993. It houses numerous historical and artistic artifacts and is considered one of the most important historical sites in Japan. This exhibition will host over 55 important cultural assets as well as three national treasures along with 130 other items. Many of these items on display are well over 1,400 years old and will detail the connection between Horyuji temple and Ikarugadera-temple, located in Taishi-cho, Hyogo, and the area of Harima (Himeji).

Hyogo Prefectural Museum of History
JR/Sanyo Himeji stn.
Open: 10am-4pm Closed Mon.
Admission: ¥1,000/¥700/¥500
Tel: 0792-88-9011

BodyWorks photography exhibition by Jono David

Nov. 2-30

BodyWorks is a photographic and rhapsodic celebration of the human body. BodyWorks is a project in progress. Like the cycle of life, it grows and reinvents itself. BodyWorks was born in verse-like couplets more than a decade ago. It was later married to illustrations and factual sidebars about the body and has now evolved into a photographic and textual collage. BodyWorks is a serious work despite its whimsical nature. There is no obvious correlation between the photographs and couplets. Many of the images and lines are deliberately puzzling. They are defined by double meanings, pranks, and witticisms. Others are plainly clear.

The arbitrary design of BodyWorks allows for freestyle interpretation and appreciation. But the images and words are accessible to every-one because we all have a person. Basically, it is a collage of black and white human form images. The collection also incorporates written poetry-like text about the body. This project is a radical departure from David's travel photography and writing, for which he is best known in where he has photographed in some 105 countries on six continents over the last two decades.

Café Absinthe
Open: Wed-Mon 11:30am-2am (Sun/holiday, 2pm-12am)
Admission: free
Getting there: Subway Yotsubashi-line, Yotsubashi Stn. exit 6 and Subway Tsurumi-Ryokuchi-line, Nishi-ohashi Stn. exit 4
Tel: 06-6543-6635 (Cafe Absinthe)

Primitive Essence: ceramic works by David Morrison Pike

Nov. 8-13

Living in Japan since 1994, Dave apprenticed with Naoki Kawabuchi and now resides in Nara, where he has a two-chamber climbing kiln (noborigama) that he built himself. He fires with Japanese red pine collected from the mountains around his village in January and February every year. The firing takes from one to three days, and is a task he generally undertakes alone, with help only on the last day. The clay used is from Awaji island, and from Mie Prefecture.

“I only fire a black glaze, a white glaze (actually an under glaze white slip) and nanban, a type of unglazed firing (yakishime)” says Dave.

“In Nanban the color comes from the clay and fly-ash isn't desired. In that way it is different from what most people think of as unglazed wood firing. My philosophy in a nutshell is to make interesting functional ware that doesn't use what I call tricks. It is a simple idea that has proven very challenging. I think form is paramount. I only do two types of firing, which also forces me to focus on the fundamentals of what I'm doing. I feel my work is successful if it is so simple that it looks like it could have been made by accident, is interesting, and is nice to use.”

Selling and exhibiting mostly in Nagoya and Tokyo, this is his first show in the Kansai area.

Gallery Katsuno
Kintentsu Nara Station, 15 min walk south, in Nara-machi (near Koshindo)
Open: 10am-5pm, last day till 4pm
Tel: 0742-22-1719 (Japanese only)
*Dave Pike will be there the 12th and 13th. from 12-5pm

Exhibition of Chizuru Masumura

Nov.18- Jan.1

Chizuru Masumura was born in 1972 in Yamaguchi prefecture. Oil painting came naturally to her in her childhood as she watched her father paint in that medium. Her oil paintings introduce us to a very personal universe that seems to come directly from calm dreams. They are often composed of one or more characters, who usually have their eyes closed, and seem to be waiting or floating oblivious to the empty reality that surrounds them. Pain
is often present through partial bodies, branches going inside the body or bodies locked up in tightened boxes but these
do not disturb the people from their inner meditation. In each of her characters, we repeatedly find a strong intensity and a soft approach to life. In her art, Masumura is talking to herself but also to the viewer to reveal the essence and heart of the human being. She is a very talented and sensible artist and her inspiration is endless.

Flanders Center
Osaka International House
Kintentsu Uehonmachi / subway Shittenoji stn.
Open: 11am-12:20pm, 1:30-5pm
Closed Sat, Sun, Holidays.
Admission: Free
Tel: 06-6773-8850

Kansai Art Listings November

Osaka

Thru Nov 15
DDD Gallery
Germany AIG Graphic Design Exhibition
Nishi-Umeda stn or Higobashi stn.
Open: 10am-6pm, closed Sat/Sun/ National Holidays.
Admission: Free
Tel: 06-6347-8780

Thru Dec 4
Osaka Shiritsu Kindai Bijutukan — Shinsaibashi exhibition hall
50 pieces selected by the museum on the theme travel from the museum collection.
Subway Shinsaibashi stn. Idemitsu Nagahori Bldg. 13F
Open: 11am-6pm, closed Wed.
Admission: ¥500/¥300/free
Tel: 06-6208-9096

Thru Dec 6
Kokuritsu Minzokugaku Hakubu-tsukan (Museum of Ethnology)
exhibition on Indian fashion
Inside Expo '70 Park. Subway Banpaku Kinen Koen stn.
Open: 10am-4:30pm, closed Wed.
Admission: ¥830/¥450/¥250
Tel: 06-6876-2151

Thru Dec 11
Fujita Bijutsukan
Calligraphy Exhibition featur-ing hand copied sutra from Nara Period. 35 pieces.
JR/Keihan Osaka-jo, Kitazume stn., subway Kyobashi stn.
Open: 10am-4pm Closed Mon
Admission: ¥800/¥500/¥300
Tel: 06-6351-0582

Thru Dec 18
Ei-Q Photo Dessin
Reconsidering Mono-ha
Yotsubashi line, Higobashi stn, Exit 3
Open: 10am-4pm closed Mon
Admission: ¥420/¥130/¥70
Tel: 06-6447-4680

Thru Dec 23
Museum of Oriental Ceramics Osaka
Masterpieces of Oriental Ceramics. Exhibition from Korea, Japan and China.
Midosuji line, Yodoyabashi Station
Open: 9:30am-4:30pm, closed Mon.
Admission: ¥500/¥300/free
Tel: 06-6223-0055

Thru Dec 25
Osaka Shiritsu Toyo Toji Bijitsukan
Deployment of Oriental Ceramics
Subway/Keihan Yodoyabashi stn.
Open: 9:30am-4:30pm, closed Mon.
Admission: ¥500/¥300/free
Tel: 06-6223-0055

Nov 19-Jan 29, 2006
Suntory Museum Tenpozan
Alphonse Mucha: Treasures from the Mucha Foundation
Subway chuo, Technoport line, Osaka-ko stn, exit 1.
Open: 10:30am-7pm, closed Mon.
Admission: ¥1,000/¥700/¥500
Tel: 06-6577-0001

Dec 17-Jan 29, 2006
Kirin Plaza Osaka
The Love of Football — Shimizu Kazuyoshi Exhibition
Subway Shinsaibashi stn.
Open: 11am-9pm
Admission: ¥700/¥500
Tel: 06-6212-6578

Kyoto

November 12-13
Sangyo University
Peaceworks An exhibition by The Kansai International Photographer's Association (KIPA).
Take the subway to "Kitaoji"station from Kyoto Stn. Transfer to a City/ Kyoto Bus to Sangyo Daigaku Mae.
http://homepage.mac.com/p_g_l/2005.htm

Thru Nov 20
Kyoto National Museum
Saicho and the National Treasures of the Tendai Sect
Keihan Shichijo Stn.
Open: 9:30am-5pm Closed Mon
Admission: ¥1,200/¥800/¥400
Tel: 075-541-1151

Thru Nov 27
Kyoto Sannenzaka Museum
Men's Fashion Fittings from the Edo Period: Men's fashion accessories such as smoking pipes, cigarette cases, etc.
Kyoto City bus Kiyomizu michi stop
Open: 10am-4:30pm
Admission: ¥500/¥300/¥200
Tel: 075-532-4270

Thru Dec 11
Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Bijutsukan
The 3 Mashiko Hamadagama: Shoji, Shinsaku and Tomoo exhibition
JR Yamazaki/Hankyu Oyamazaki stn.
Open: 10am-4pm, closed Mon.
Admission: ¥700/¥500/free
Tel: 075-957-3123

Thru Dec 18
The National Museum of Modern Art Kyoto
Suda Kunitaro Exhibition
From JR/Kintetsu Kyoto stn, take bus no.5, get off at Kyoto-Kaikan-Bijyutsukan-mae.
Open: 9:30am-4:30pm, closed Mon.
Admission: ¥830/¥450/¥250
Tel: 075-561-4111

Thru Dec 18
Hosomi Museum
8th Annual Exhibition on Rimpa: Tawaraya Soutatsu Exhibition
Tozai Subway line, Higashiyama stn. On corner of Nijo-dori and the river.
Open: 10am-5:30pm closed Mon
Admission: ¥1,000/¥800
Tel: 075-752-5555

Thru Jan 15, 2006
Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art
Special Exhibition: Between Buddhist Gods and Demons — Images of Human Beings
City bus no.5, 100 Kyoto-kaikan & Bijutsukan-mae. Open: 10am-5pm
Admission: ¥900/¥700/free
Tel: 075-771-4107

Hyogo

Nov 2-14
Daimaru Museum, Kobe
Nihonga Exhibition
JR/Hanshin Motomachi stn,
Daimaru Dept. Store 9F
Open: 11am-7pm,
Admission: ¥800/¥600
Tel: 078-331-8121

Thru Nov 20
Kobe Shiritsu Hakubutsukan
World Map Exhibition
JR/Hankyu/Hanshin Sannomiya stn.
Open: 10am-4:30pm, closed Mon.
Admission: ¥200/¥150/¥100
Tel: 078-391-0035

Thru Nov 27
Nishinomiya-shi Otani Kinen Bijyutsukan
Imatake Shichiro Exhibition
Koroen stn.
Open: 10am-4:30pm, closed Wed.
Admission: ¥500/¥300/¥200
Tel: 0798-33-0164

Thru Jan 15, 2006
Hyogo Prefectural Museum
Dutch Masters from the Rijks-museum Amsterdam Exhibition
Hanshin Iwaya stn.
Open: 10am-5pm, closed Mon.
Admission: ¥1,300/¥900/¥500
Tel: 078-262-0901

Nara

Thru Nov 14
Nara National Museum
Sho-soin Treasures Exhibition
Kintetsu Nara stn. inside Nara Park
Open: 9:30am-5pm, closed Mon.
Admission: ¥1,000/¥700/¥400
Tel: 0742-22-7771

Thru Dec 4
Nara Kenritsu Bijutsukan
Sugimoto Kenkichi Exhibition
Kintetsu Nara stn.
Open: 9am-4pm, closed Mon.
Tel: 0742-23-3968

Thru Dec 25
Nara Museum of Photography
Irie Taikichi & Domon Ken Exhi.
JR/Kintetsu Nara Stn., loop bus.
Open: 9:30am-4:30pm, closed Mon.
Admission: ¥500/¥200/¥100
Tel: 0742-22-9811

ART section compiled by Maki Nibayashi

:: Online Articles

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	:: HEALTH Total tea Herbal teas
	:: TECH Podcasting hits the mainstream "The hottest thing going on radio"
	:: PROFILE Dominic Lutringer Painting with light
	:: SPORT A formula for thrills F1 at Suzuka, Mie

:: Listings

	:: CINEMA LISTINGS Up to date cinema listings guide so you always know what's on, where and when!
	:: ART Best exhibitions + listings
	:: EVENTS Best events + listings
	:: LIVE Best gigs + listings
	:: CLUB Parties not to miss + listings

:: Also in this month's mag

:: FOOD Passage to India Mirch Masala, Honmachi
:: DRINK So much more Club Soma, Shinsaibashi
:: UPDATE Through the eyes of a predator Chayne Ellis's crime prevention program
:: READ New releases and top ten paperback books
:: FILM Reel reviews of the silver screen + 12th Osaka European Film Festival
:: NEWS Domestic and international news