The Sasa Makoto Collection
As a sequel to last December’s exhibition at the O Art Museum, this new project — “Sequel: The Shuto Expressway Seen in Artworks” — has opened. It doesn’t have quite the mass and volume of the previous show, but it presents new Shuto Expressway artworks and, going one step further, also puts works by related artists up for sale — a multi-dimensional project. I really like it; this kind of project is wonderful.
https://art-on.jp/shutokou-2017/
Essentially, a selection of the works that had been shown across all floors of the O Art Museum are on display here, and each of those artists then presents a separate work from an angle different from the Shuto Expressway.
The separate works on display are available for purchase.
Since the previous O Art Museum show was display-only, this is a welcome project for a collector.
The attempt is ambitious, but as an exhibition it leaves a somewhat blurred impression.
It naturally can’t measure up to the recent Shuto Expressway exhibition, which won out through sheer, overwhelming love for the expressway.
Still, the way it makes its point through the sheer number of works is as compelling as ever.
There were encounters with all sorts of artists.
Sales couldn’t really be called brisk, but the pricing felt set a little on the high side.
On the more affordable works, red “sold” stickers were relatively conspicuous.
Ukiyo Photographer Kichiya: Solo Exhibition
On a different floor, held simultaneously on the second floor of the same building, was a solo exhibition by ukiyo photographer Kichiya, “Hiroshige: One Hundred Famous Views of Edo NOW!”
It presented a series of works photographing the present-day appearance, 150 years on, of the scenes from Utagawa Hiroshige’s print series “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo.”
Because it takes a different angle from the Shuto Expressway project, it is no doubt why it is laid out in a separate room.
At first glance they look like woodblock prints, but look closely and you’ll see photographs collaged into them.
I’m looking forward to the next Shuto Expressway exhibition!
