Multiple layering by simultaneous multiple occurrence ~ Multi Layered Surfaces ~ It has been long since diversity is emphasized as an important aspect in contemporary society. Perhaps the degree of diversity in Japan has not yet been penetrated when compared with that in the world. Toronto, Canada is the world’s most advanced city in multiculturalism practiced in everyday life, even though it has the fourth largest population in North America. Represented by one of the world’s largest LGBT PRIDE parades and numerous cultural festivals from around the globe, the city is a rare example allowing co-existence in the mixture of gender, culture, religion, languages, etc. Multi Layered Surfaces is a project consists of concurrent exhibitions introducing Multi-Layered work (Surfaces) by mid-career artists who have been active and based in Toronto who are now internationally acclaimed, and in parallel, also artists from Japan and Singapore of their contemporaries. Works by these artists will draw the viewwers’ attentions to focus on the value of diversity in contemporary society and encourage them to contemplate and read beneath the surfaces, the meanings layered multiply in each work. The exhibitions also premiere some works in Tokyo.
Multi Layered Surfaces website
A brain scientist Mr. Kenichiro Mogi said in his blog (January 31, 2017) as follows.
One of the important values in contemporary society is “diversity”. Our society does not function as a system and the robustness of society as a whole will not increase without people with various trends and qualities. A mono-culture of everyone being the same may have a sense of security, but there is no evolving nature. Destructive innovation can only happen by having members with various personalities in the group. That is why we need to be tolerant to “foreign” others.
On the other hand, “diversity” also includes problems. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF),
Species that appear in new environments may fail to survive but often they thrive, and become invasive. In fact, native species are likely to be unprepared to defend themselves against the invaders. This process, together with habitat destruction, has been a major cause of extinction of native species throughout the world in the past few hundred years. Although in the past many of these losses have gone unrecorded, today, there is an increasing realisation of the ecological costs of biological invasion in terms of irretrievable loss of native biodiversity.
I believe that Japan should be more active in diversification attempts, to enrich its profound and rich history and culture. That, I believe, should happen by activities that are independent and diverse (Multi Layered) within a post-global society, thus by activities among artists emphasized by its continuity, in depth exchanges, and influencing to each other’s productions. Not by shallow (Surfaces)-like international exchanges based on some loose sightseeing-based inbound policy or by depending on globalism based on capital economy. Whether or not, “destructive innovation” or “serious influence” will occur, this exhibition casts a stone to cause a chemical reaction.
Participating artists
Alex McLeod, Clara Vennice, Curtis Talwst Santiago, Daisuke Takeya, Douglas Walker, Dyan Marie, Janieta Eyre, hisaka, Jon Sasaki, Masatake Kozaki, Matthew Carver, Natsunosuke Mise, Sakura Koretsune, Sasha Pierce, Vincent Twardzik Ching, Winnie Truong, Yo Ishihara Design support TANJC (Malaysia)
Exhibition at the Prince Takamado Gallery + Live concert at the Oscar Peterson Theatre at the Embassy of Canada in Japan
Exhibition poster designed by Atsushi Jinmei (detail)
Embassy of Canada in Japan banner design
Alex McLeod
Alex McLeod, “Sisyphus,” 2018, HD video, loop, wall paper 220cm (h) x 180 cm (W). Courtesy of the artist
Sasha Pierece
Sasha Pierce, “Crown,” 2017, oil on linen, 26 x 20 inches. Courtesy of the artist and Richard Heller Gallery, Los Angeles, the USA
Winnie Truong
Winnie TruongT, “he Angler and Her Lure,” 2017, coloured pencil on paper, 44 x 36 inches. Courtesy of the artist and Erin Stamp Projects, Toronto, Canada
Curtis Talwst Santiago
Curtis Talwst Santiago, “El Torero,” 2014 (reference only). Courtesy of the artist
Jon Sasaki
Jon Sasaki, “After a Mural I Painted in Grade Four,” 2013, HD video, 34 min., Produced by the Koffler Centre for the Arts for the exhibition We’re In The Library, November 2013. Courtesy of the artist and Clint Roenisch Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Matthew Carver
Matthew Carver, “Uzaemon’s Precious Time,” 2016, acrylic on canvas, 132 x 177 . Courtesy of the artist and Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Clara Venice
Dyan Marie
Dyan Marie, “Unstill Lives With Traffic: Girl On A Blue Bike,” , 2007, photo-based archival image, 16 inches x 48 inches. Courtesy of the artist
hisaka
Exhibition at Denchu Hirakushi House and Atelier, Tokyo, Japan
Exhibition poster designed by Atsushi Jinmei (detail)
Jon Sasaki
Jon Sasaki, “Motivation,” 2013, HD video, 2’36”. A found pendant lamp has a dangerously frayed cord. The tenuous electrical connection needs constant effort to maintain, and the resulting illumination is too fleeting to be useful. Courtesy of the artist
Alex McLeod
Alex McLeod “Reincernation,” 2018, HD video, loop. An artwork inspired by the work of Denchu Hirakushi with the same title Courtesy of the artist. Installation view at Denchu Hirakushi House and Atelier in 2018, Tokyo, Japan.
Jon Sasaki
Jon Sasaki
Janieta Eyre
Janieta Eyre
Dyan Marie
Dyan Marie, “Eden Archive,” 2017, Photo-based archival image, 36×36 inches. Courtesy of the artist. Installation view at Denchu Hirakushi House and Stelier in 2018, Tokyo, Japan
Dyan Marie
Dyan Marie
Curtis Talwest Santiago
Curtis Talwest Santiago, “Space Family Rothschild,” 2011, mixed Media, 4″ x 4″ x 4.5″. Private collection, Japan. Installation view at Denchu Hirakushi House and Atelier in 2018, Tokyo, Japan
Curtis Talwest Santiago
Curtis Talwest Santiago, “Space Family Rothschild,” 2011, mixed Media, 4″ x 4″ x 4.5″. Private collection, Japan
Curtis Talwest Santiago
Daisuke Takeya
Daisuke Takeya
Douglas Walker
Janieta Eyre
Janieta Eyre, “Tweeling,” installation view in 2018 at Denchu HIrakushi house and Atelier, Tokyo, Japan
Daisuke Takeya
Exhibition at Nihonbashi Institute of Contemporary Art (NICA), Tokyo, Japan
Exhibition poster designed by Atsushi Jinmei (detail)
Natsunosuke Mise
Natsunosuke Mise, “千歳／Mt.Chitose,” 2009, kumohadamashi, shiromashi (Japanese paper), seiboku (grey ink), whiting, 300×365cm. Courtesy of the artist and Imura Art Gallery, Kyoto, Japan
Matthew Carver
Matthew Carver, “Molech’s Copper Key,” 2016, acrylic on canvas, 119 x 176 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Sakura Koretsune
Sakura Koretsune, “空想玩具.” Courtesy of the artist
Jon Sasaki at NICA entrance
Installation view at NICA in 2018, Tokyo, Japan.
Jon Sasaki
Douglas Walker
Courtesy of the artist
Masatake Kozaki
Courtesy of the artist
Janieta Eyre
Janet Eyre, “Twin Manicurists.” Courtesy of the artist and Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Yo Ishihara
Yo Ishihara, “Veil of ignorance.” Courtesy of the artist
Vincent Twardzik Ching
Courtesy of the artist
Installation view at NICA in 2018, Tokyo, Japan.
Installation view at NICA in 2018, Tokyo, Japan.
Vincent Twardzik Ching and Winnie Truong
Installation view at NICA in 2018, Tokyo, Japan.
Tohokuga Wa Kano ka? / 東北画は可能か？
Installation view at NICA in 2018, Tokyo, Japan. The gleeman “東北画は可能か？.”
Installation view at NICA in 2018, Tokyo, Japan.
Mat Brown Solo Exhibition at Wakayama Museum, Tokyo, Japan
Exhibition poster designed by Atsushi Jinmei
Mat Brown poster for Wakayama Museum
Matt Brown
Matt Brown, “As above, so below. As within, so without. Endosymbiosis and the micro-biome”, 2017, ink on mat board. Courtesy of the artist and Christopher Cutts Gallery, Toronto, Canada