Art Battle Royale - In Search of Alternative Horizons

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Art Battle Royale - In Search of Alternative Horizons

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Art Battle Royale - In Search of Alternative Horizons

IMAGINARY MUSEUM OF THE O-COLLECTION

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Title	Art Battle Royale - In Search of Alternative Horizons IMAGINARY MUSEUM OF THE O-COLLECTION
Date	2010.6.5(Sat) - 2010.7.25(Sun)
Time	11:00 - 19:00
Admission	Free
Organize	Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture, Tokyo Wonder Site
Cooperation	Satoshi Okada (Art Acephale)
Venue	TWS Hongo
Artist	Kuribara Morimoto / SWAMP PUBLICATION / DIG&BURY / 0000 / CHAOS*LOUNGE / now / 20TN!

IMAGINARY MUSEUM OF THE O-COLLECTION - magical museum tour, the continuation of a series first launched in 2007, introduces emerging Japanese contemporary artists through a collector's world view we explore the meaning of collecting art. Last year two shows were titled Alternative (Post) Modern: Room 7 and Room 8 focuses on the community at loose in the present day. This latest show focuses on the new activities of 7 emerging artist groups. Now times are changing very fast, and Art desires to express a 'freshness,' the present moment, a connection to time and place, and the making of a relationship. In these occasions, we consider that "What is the collection?,""What will you collect?"and seek to challenge from the static notion of the noun "collection" to the dynamic notion of the verb "collect."

A little different from previous shows of the O-Collection's Imaginary Museum, for each of which I picked certain artists' works from my collection based on a predetermined theme, I decided to stretch the general outline of this time's exhibition a bit. Rather than doing a simple retrospective showcase of previous works, my idea was to put together a prospective exhibition of artists and groups that I expect to be pioneering the art scene. Rapidly spreading information technology has brought along dramatic changes in the world, and quite naturally, it seems that art has arrived at a point where its role and function in society need to be significantly modified in order to respond to these transformations. Such is the backdrop against which a number of artist groups have recently emerged. This time's exhibition represents my attempt to put the pieces together to gain a deeper understanding of what these artists are up to. I can't help but sense in their attitude - much rather than in the quality of their works - an unknown hidden potential to hint at future directions in art.
These artists are working in completely different ways, however they seem to have a few things in common outside the subjects of their creations. Although there are obviously thermal differences, they operate while maintaining a certain distance from the existing art scene. They are probably not even interested at all. It appears that they have found a meaning beyond personal efforts that exceeds that of a simple production team of several individual members. In other words, they have discovered an identity of their work. While the world keeps changing at breakneck speed, their artistic endeavors look to me like an instinctive search for a realistic form of art that corresponds with this day and age.
Quite self-evidently, discussing their work within the traditional frameworks of art is meaningless and will lead to nothing. It goes without saying that we will need a new and totally different framework in order to understand what their art is all about. The question is whether we will be able to find (or create) such a new, alternative framework, and, given that we manage to find it, what kind of framework it will be.
For the displays, I worked out a "battle" format, which however isn't about winning or losing, but it is supposed to be a method that helps etch out the subjects of the participating groups' works more clearly, and add notions of depth and reality to their mutual communication. The "battle" will in fact take place on two levels - through the actual displays, and in the form of a verbal dispute. By involving each group in such slightly barbaric encounters, the private realms of artistic expression in each group will make way for several expansive public communication spaces, and I am absolutely confident that this multilayered space is going to reveal alternative horizons for the arts.

Satoshi Okada

Representative, Art Acephale