ACT 2020 - Artists Contemporary TOKAS - 2nd Edition - Tanaka Shusuke, Hirose Nana & Nagatani Kazuma, Watanabe Go
Stasis Field
停滞フィールド
Tokyo Arts and Space Hongo
22 February - 22 March 2020
Tokyo Arts and Space (TOKAS) has supported artists in a multi-career-stage and continuously supportive program through endeavors such as open call exhibitions, exhibitions of contemporary artists, and international fellowships. In the Artists Contemporary TOKAS (ACT) series launched in 2018, exhibitions will be held to introduce artists who are worthy of attention now, centered on those that have taken part in TOKAS programs. Introduced at this second installment, titled ”Stasis Field,” are works by three artists/pairs: TANAKA Shusuke, HIROSE Nana & NAGATANI Kazuma, WATANABE Go.
“Stasis field” is a term that has been used in science fiction novels and games, to refer to an area in which time seemingly stands still or is significantly delayed, and contents appear motionless. Due to the standstill and crystallization of time in a stasis field, objects in that area are in a state where they can be closely observed, or slowed down to such an extent that their shapes appear distorted.
In their works, the three artists featured in this exhibition stop or delay time in order to make it observable from their own respective points of view, and produce works of art in which they actively respond to and creatively express the differences, shifts and distortions that result from such temporal stagnation. In times when social life is increasingly dominated by the acceleration and quick processing of all kinds of matters. Experiences we make in such special kinds of situations “Stasis fields” may function as turning points that changes existing ideas and previous perceptions.
TANAKA Shusuke
Tanaka Shusuke participated in “TWS-Emerging 2016” at the Tokyo Arts and Space and awarded “Tokyo Wonder Wall 2016”. From the various sceneries he encounters in daily life, Tanaka stores all those things that bring him fresh new sensations, and experiences that make him feel scared or uncomfortable, inside his body. These things he uses as a source of inspiration for every new painting he creates. The sceneries he illustrates through the filter of what he thought or felt in those situations contain single elements that are depicted extremely large or otherwise emphasized, which results in a distorted spatial perception and a strange sense of reality. At this exhibition, Tanaka unveils several new works that show some of his recently encountered sceneries.
Tanaka Shusuke was born in Wakayama in 1986. Lives and works in Osaka. Graduated from Osaka University of Arts, Art department of oil painting course in 2009. Recent exhibitions: “I try to forget, but I can't remember”(Borderless Art Museum NO-MA, Shiga, 2019), "Kiyosu City Haruhi Painting Triennale Artist Series Vol. 87 Tanaka Shusuke" ("Kiyosu City Haruhi Art Museum, Aichi, 2018), "Recreating The Archives", (Mizunoki Museum of Art, Kyoto, 2018), "futeneniseiten, heijhonosakuretsu" (Gallery PARC, Kyoto, 2017), "Uncatchable Story" (Zuiun-an, Kyoto, 2017), “TWS-Emerging 2016: Section of the circle” (TWS Shibuya, Tokyo), “TOKYO WONDER WALL 2016” (TWS Shibuya, Tokyo), “FACE 2015: Sompo Japan Art Award Exhibition” (Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Museum of Art). Awards: Kiyosu City Haruhi Painting Triennale Second Prize (2018), The 24th HOLBEIN Scholarship (2011).
HIROSE Nana & NAGATANI Kazuma
Hirose Nana & Nagatani Kazuma participated in “TWS Research Residency Program 2017” at the Tokyo Arts Space. The artist duo moved to Germany in 2007, where they continue to produce artworks. Through the various transformations and catabolic processes they introduce to daily commodities and objects we usually encounter on a daily basis, the artists explore in their works what exactly the viewers are perceiving in each case.
Shown in this exhibition is the installation Still life, consisting of fruits, vegetables, cups and other objects – about 300 in total – molded from a special kind of porcelain compound. What looks like intentional deformations caused by some kind of external force, are in fact distortions that occurred as a chemical reaction to the heat when firing the porcelain. These numerous white objects eventually trigger a transformation of the entire space they are placed in, and encourage the viewer to recognize familiar things from different perspectives.
Born in Osaka in 1980 (Hirose), 1982 (Nagatani). Since 2007 live and work in Germany. Graduated with a BFA from Kyoto Seika University in 2005 and an MFA from University of the Arts Bremen in 2014., (Hirose). Graduated with a BFA from Kyoto Seika University in 2004 (Nagatani). Recent exhibitions: "Out of the Ordinary" (Ulm Art Foundation, Germany, 2019), “Why don’t cats wear shoes?” (Künstlerhaus Göttingen, Germany, 2019), “Why don’t cats wear shoes?” (Cuxhavener Kunstverein, Germany, 2019), “Another Place” with Anna Bart (Japan Foundation Cologne, Germany, 2018), "Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale" (Niigata, 2018), “Still Life”(Johann-Friedrich-Danneil-Museum, Salzwedel, 2017), "Of The Universe" (Weserburg Museum, Bremen, Germany, 2014), etc. Awards and grants: Audience Award at Bergisch Art Award (Solingen Museum, Germany, 2017), Overseas research Grant of Pola Art Foundation (Germany, 2015), Audience Award at the Erster Voelkling Art Award (HBKsaar, 2013), 1st Prize of University Award, (University of Fine Arts Bremen, 2012). Since 2018, they have participated in a two-year residence program in Ulm, Germany, with grants from the LBBW Foundation, Pola Art Promotion Foundation, Nomura Foundation and others.
WATANABE Go
For his video works, the artist recreates by way of 3-D computer graphics real sceneries and objects around him, and makes them gradually transform in ways disconnected from physical and optical laws. Based on the experience of spending a year in Finland in 2017, this time he produced a work in which he emphasizes the perception of light that he found to be different than in his native Japan.
Unveiled in this exhibition is a new video installation that questions material, spatial and temporal characteristics, by reorganizing the temporal order and angles of light falling onto books and a pile of laundry.
Watanabe Go was born in Hyogo in 1975. Lives and works in Tokyo. Graduated with a BA in Fine Art from Aichi University of the Arts. Recent exhibitions: “Azamino Contemporary vol. 8 "Go Watanabe / dislocation" (Yokohama Civic Art Gallery Azamino, 2017), “light difference -face III-” (URANO, Tokyo, 2017), 50th Anniversary Exhibition “Arts Begin From Forest” (Aichi University of Arts, 2016), “places” (ARATANIURANO, Tokyo, 2015), “Logical Emotion” (Haus Konstructive, Zurich, Switzerland / Museum of Contemporary Art in Krakow, Poland / Kunstmuseum Moritzburg Halle, Land Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany, 2014-2015), “The APB Foundation Signature Art Prize” (The Singapore Art Museum, 2014), “Aichi Triennale 2013” (Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, 2013), “Asia Code: ZERO” (SOMA, Seoul, 2013), etc. Award: Newcomer's Prize of Art at the 24th Gotoh Memorial Cultural Award (2013).
TOKYO ARTS AND SPACE HONGO - TOKAS
2 -4-16 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
ACT（Artists Contemporary TOKAS）Vol. 2 "Stasis Field"
Updated 18-02-2025
