ShugoArts

MORIMURA Yasumasa, Ritsue MISHIMA

Where I Am Standing

2021.10.30 Sat - 12.18 Sat
------------------------------------------------------------

 

Installation movie

 

Installation view

 

About

ShugoArts is pleased to announce the opening of a two-person exhibition by Morimura Yasumasa and Mishima Ritsue, Where I Am Standing, from October 30, 2021.

This is going to be our first attempt to realize a collaborative project with Morimura Yasumasa, who creates series of photographic self-portraits disguised as figures in art history from around the world and historical figures of the 20th century, and Mishima Ritsue, who utilizes glassblowing to create her artworks on Murano Island in Venice, Italy.

Although their art practices seem to be distinct from each other at first glance, these two artists found the keyword of this exhibition in Morimura’s work in which he disguises himself as Matsumoto Shunsuke’s self-portrait. Titled Where Am I Standing ?, this work features Standing Figure (1942), a masterpiece by Matsumoto Shunsuke who had an ambition to become a painter despite his loss of hearing and fought against the wartime nationalistic art trend.

An artist should place an artistic flag on the ground where he stands and execute his art practice while facing the world. The two artists have explored art phenomena from the places in which they arrived on their own; Morimura has always reconstructed modern and contemporary history focusing on “himself” from Japan while Mishima has explored ways to sculpt light by using glass as an artistic material from Venice. In this chaotic day and age, how and where each and every one of us stands carries more weight.

 

MORIMURA Yasumasa , Self-Portraits through Art History (Dürer’s Hand Is Another Face), 2016
Chromogenic print, transparent medium, 66x48cm, ed. 10

 

In this exhibition, Morimura showcases several works from Self-Portraits through Art History series such as Jan van Eyck, Albrecht Dürer, Da Vinci, Caravaggio and Van Gogh, in addition to Matsumoto Shunsuke, while Mishima produces new works dedicated to those figures. When Morimura disguises himself as the subject of his artwork, he does not imitate the existing character like others have done, but creates his original self-portrait utilizing his interpretation and imagination. Just like Morimura’s art practice, Mishima will create her glass gifts while analyzing those figures from her own vantage point, imagining what kind of artworks they would like or what kind of light would illuminate their personalities the most.

This exhibition is a collaboration not only between Morimura and Mishima, but also with artists from the past. Constructed with the world full of layered imagination, this exhibition will provide us with a collaboration of artists beyond time and space. We hope you will enjoy this special exhibition.

September 2021, ShugoArts

 

MISHIMA Ritsue, ACQUASANTIERA, 2021, glass, 20×42.5cm

 

 


 

overview

MORIMURA Yasumasa and MISHIMA Ritsue
Where I Am Standing

Dates:Saturday, October 30 – Saturday, December 18, 2021
Venue: ShugoArts, complex665 2F, 6-5-24, Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032
Opening Hours: Tue-Sat noon-6pm, closed on Sun, Mon and Public Holidays
During ART WEEK TOKYO, which will take place for four days from Thursday, November 4 to Sunday, November 7, ShugoArts will be open from 10am to 6pm.

*The opening reception will not be held this time. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we have shortened our opening hours.

Curated by Minako Ishii

 


 

Top left: MORIMURA Yasumasa, Self-Portraits of Youth (Shunsuke Matsumoto / Where Am I Standing? 1), 2016/2018, Chromogenic print, 160x124cm, ed.5
Top right: MISHIMA Ritsue, STANDING, 2021, glass, 67×34.5cm