Exhibition Best 10
Our regular feature “Exhibition BEST 10.”
This time it is the Q3 (July–September) 2018 edition.
This period was recorded as a fierce heat wave, but even on hot days museums and galleries are cool spaces. I made a point of pushing myself to get out, and thanks to summer vacation and the recent workstyle reforms, I was able to visit quite a lot of exhibitions.
For the 2018 best 10s so far, I have updated the two articles below. Please have a look if you like. A year-end best 10 feature is also planned.
Q3 (July–September) 2018 Edition
It was hard to choose this time as well.
1) Shigeru Nishikawa
Shigeru Nishikawa’s distinctive brushwork and use of color. Marvelous works. There were pieces I wanted to acquire, and I really agonized over the decision.
2) Toshiyuki Hasegawa
I made the trip to the somewhat distant Fuchu Art Museum, and it was extremely worthwhile.
Toshiyuki Hasegawa is a distinctive self-taught painter, and the exhibition, which traced his life, was also excellent.
3) Naofumi Maruyama
Works that leave you with nothing to say but “amazing!” They were so outstanding that I found myself standing frozen in front of them.
These are works that demand to be viewed with the naked eye.
4) Kei Imazu
I only recently learned that Kei Imazu is a woman — apologies.
Her works are extremely powerful and full of momentum, and within that force one can also sense a skillful, calculated intensity. She is a formidable artist.
5) Hikari Shimoda
Well, it was far. The route involved going all the way to Nagano Station in Nagano Prefecture, then transferring trains, then finally arriving by car. But this exhibition, held in Asahi Village where the artist is from, had an energy that could only be felt in that particular place.
6) Tsuguharu Foujita
An exhibition where Foujita’s world was in full bloom. It may well have been the finest solo show of his ever held. I still recall the pleasant atmosphere that flowed through the museum.
7) Mitsukoshi × Tokyo University of the Arts “Summer Art Festival”
A wonderful project from an art collector’s perspective, where accomplished artists who graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts gather in one place — and their works can even be purchased. I would love to see initiatives like this continue to grow.
8) Koji Nakazono
A first-ever solo museum exhibition held at the Yokosuka Museum of Art. It was held in the hometown of the late Koji Nakazono.
The museum’s large atrium space had a pleasant feel.
9) One-Piece Club Exhibition “Perhaps for the First Time”
Collector exhibitions have been attracting attention lately, and this exhibition by the collectors’ group known as the One-Piece Club was a delight to see.
10) Yamagata Biennale
My first visit to Yamagata’s “Michinooku Art Festival.” I spent two days there, and it was a truly wonderful festival.
For exhibitions that caught my attention, please refer to the individual articles.
Now, only three months remain in 2018.
Major exhibitions are still ahead, and shows I am interested in keep coming. The next installment, the “Q4” edition, is scheduled for release at the end of December. And when 2019 arrives, I am also planning an annual Best 10 for 2018. Please look forward to it!
