Dali - Multifaceted

Worldwide(c)Salvador Dali, Fundacio Gala-Salvador Dali, SPDA, Japan 2007

Mar 8–May 6

Suntory Museum

Through skillfully detailed depiction of his surreal inner world, Salvador Dali (1904-1989) became one of the most significant 20th century artists. His double-image expressions, with unforgettable motifs like melting clocks and swarming ants, over desolate landscapes reminiscent of his home, Catalonia, Spain, touches the surrealistic inner world of every viewer. His extremely imaginative art continues to enchant the world. As 2004 marked the centennial of his birth, commemorative exhibitions took place around the globe. This exhibition is being held as part of the Dali Centennial project through the full-fledged support from Spain's Salvador Dali Foundation and the Salvador Dali Museum, Florida, USA. With a total of appro-ximately 180 articles in addition to 40 oil paintings, including a special display of manuscripts and drawings provided by the Foundation, Dali's multifaceted world, his great gift and passion for art will be revealed.

Getting there: Subway Chuo line, Osaka-ko stn
Open: 10:30am–7pm Closed Mon
Admission: ¥1,200/¥900/¥500
Tel: 06-6577-0006

Bremer Art Satellite

Mar 10-31

Goethe-Institute Kyoto
(Kyoto Art Center)

Goethe-Institute Kyoto and Kyoto Art Center jointly present two installations by three Bremen-based German artists: In the North gallery an audio installation by Isolde Loock titled Exploding Beauty, in which she will transform the gallery into a forum for an East-West communication process, amalgamating performance, sound installation and masquerade. It will be a staging of a non-verbal communication, centered upon an important form of human expression: laughing. When the visitor steps into the gallery he will be confronted with recorded sounds of laughing and clapping, which will automatically transform him into an actor and the room into a stage ... In the South gallery, the two Bremen based artists Wolfgang Michael and Michael Rieken will present an audio-visual room titled: The Mirrored Shadow. Three computer-controlled slide projectors will project film stills and a variety of photos about color, human bodies, texts, and artworks onto different surfaces. All will be accompanied by an acoustic installation of legendary Japanese electronic music instruments from the 70s and 80s. Sounds will be added in minimal time schedules. When the projection fades away, JS Bach's Piano music will be played, again being followed by the silence of meditation. Let yourself be surprised.

Getting there: Keihan Shijo stn. Take bus for Demachiyanagi, get off at Maruta-cho or Keiha Maruta-cho stn, 6 min walk
Open: 9:30am–6pm closed Mon
Admission: free
Tel: 075-761-2188

Girls' Day and Dolls

Thru Apr 8

Kyoto National Museum

In welcoming the New Year and anticipating spring, the Kyoto National Museum will again hold its annual exhibition celebrating Girls' Day and Japanese dolls. On Girls' Day, also known as Hina Matsuri or the Doll Festival, hina dolls are traditionally displayed to celebrate the growth of young girls. This festival became popular in the Edo period (1615-1867) and, in Kyoto, a variety of dolls such as the Saga, costume, Gosho (Imperial Palace), and Kamo dolls were also displayed and cherished in the homes of courtiers, warriors, and merchants. The early Edo-period hina displays were rather simple, focusing on the dairi-bina, or the emperor and empress pair. Later, attending ladies and court nobles and miniature furnishings, such as tansu and nagamochi chests, were included I the set and lavishly decorated on a tiered display. This exhibition traces the history of hina dolls from the early Edo period, focusing on two large hina displays - the palatial Kansai style and the Kanto style. The Kyoto National Museum is especially pleased to present a newly donated palatial style set, dating to the second half of the Edo period, from a long-established family in Kyoto. The large hina palace, which measures three meters in width, revives this colorful Kyoto tradition.

Getting there: JR/Kintetsu Kyoto stn, take Bus 206 or 208, get off at Hakubutsukan, Sanjyu-san kando mae
Open: 9:30am–6pm closed Mon
Admission: ¥1,200/¥800/free for children
Tel: 075-525-2473

Yumiko Tanabe Exhibition

Thru Mar 18

Mssohkan

Yumiko Tanabe does not quite fit into the typical profile of the vast majority of today's young contemporary artists in that she is a self-taught artist without an active notion of "creating art". The sheer drive towards "creation" per se, has only led her to pursue methods and means of self-expression through her life so far to reflect her version of "unfiltered reality". Having noted that, while it is more than occasional that one comes across an art piece with provocative as well as refreshing artistic concepts embedded within it, but not with accordingly high standards of technical know-how to match what is conceived, Tanabe has had numerous opportunities to become acquainted with diverse spheres of craftsmanship through the course of her professional career. As such, she has developed over the years some unequivocally original ways to combine a highly labor-intensive work process and time-orientated motifs, composed mainly of organic materials. It was inevitable that her works were to become widely recognised by keen audiences, especially after winning the prestigious Hands Awards (Grand Prix) back in 2001.

Getting there: Hankyu line, Oji-Koen stn.
Open: 1pm–6:30pm Closed Wed/Thu • Admission: free
Tel: 078-802-8822

Kansai Art Listings March

ART section compiled by Maki Nibayashi