[Second-Half Best] art on picks the TOP 10 Exhibitions of the Second Half of 2019!

Top 10 Exhibitions

Our regular feature, the “Top 10 Exhibitions,” is published in two halves each year by “art on.” This time we present the second half of 2019.

The Top 10 for the first half of 2019 is compiled below.

July–December 2019

As always, this is a Top 10 exhibitions list chosen entirely by the site’s editor, based on personal judgment and preferences.
We make no boundary between the large-scale blockbuster shows held at museums and the small exhibitions organized by nearly one-person galleries — within the framework of art, they exist on equal footing.

Once again, we have picked 10 exhibitions in no particular order.

1) “The Matsukata Collection: A One-Hundred-Year Odyssey” The National Museum of Western Art

2) Izumi Kato “LIKE A ROLLING SNOWBALL” *2 venues

Izumi Kato’s solo exhibition “LIKE A ROLLING SNOWBALL” was held at two venues of Hara Museum.
It was a culminating show at this point in his career, spanning from past works through to his most recent pieces.
The catalog integrating both venues also includes an essay by Maha Harada contrasting Picasso and Izumi Kato — highly recommended.

3) Aiko Miyanaga “Rowing Method” Takamatsu Art Museum

Aiko Miyanaga’s solo exhibition “Rowing Method,” held at Takamatsu Art Museum during a period that overlapped with the Setouchi Triennale, was also wonderful.
The show centered on “white,” forming a contrast with Chiharu Shiota’s “red” at Mori Art Museum. I felt drawn in by Aiko Miyanaga’s gentle, quiet mode of expression and wanted to stay close to it.

4) Aichi Triennale 2019

The “Aichi Triennale 2019” drew broad public debate, but luckily we were able to see it at a time free of noise. Overall, it was a superb program.

We had kept a diary saved in draft form for some time, and published it at this juncture.
I felt the need to hold a broader and stronger gaze toward art and society.

5) “The Yamamura Collection” The Museum of Modern Art, Hyogo

Wasn’t this a hidden gem of an exhibition?
The through-line of the collection was consistently held, and I found it deeply comfortable to view.
Are there other big collectors in Japan with this level of coherence and dedication?

6) Teppei Takeda “Paitings of Painting” Maho Kubota Gallery

Maho Kubota Gallery was surely one of the galleries on a winning streak this year.
Working with an artist like Teppei Takeda, whose career as an artist is still relatively young, they set prices sharply upward to Euro-American levels and sold out at the list stage — a remarkable feat.

I visited Teppei Takeda’s solo exhibition “Paitings of Painting” several times during its run, and many young visitors were coming as well. He enjoys support across a wide range of age groups and is surely an artist poised for a major leap forward.

7) “Through Time: A Standard of Beauty” Nijo Castle

Although it was a short program running for just four days, “Through Time: A Standard of Beauty” held at Nijo Castle was a magnificent exhibition. Compared to the concurrent “CONTACT” exhibition curated by Maha Harada, I found the venue, content, and works to be more cohesive.

8) Narumi Sasaki “・／# La la la la la la la la la la……….　Do do do do do…　Ah ah ah..” LOKO GALLERY

Narumi Sasaki’s solo exhibition at LOKO GALLERY — one of my favorite galleries — was a good show.

Akira Kamo’s solo exhibition was also good.

This is one of my favorite galleries.

9) me “Obviously No One Can Make Heads Nor Tails” Chiba City Museum of Art

The exhibition “Obviously No One Can Make Heads Nor Tails” by me[mé] at Chiba City Museum of Art seems to have provoked mixed reactions. The latter half of its run was reportedly drawing long lines.

I viewed it just at a moment when I was thinking that we need the generosity to accept ambiguous existence and states not easily decided in black and white. I want to keep following the activities of me[mé].

10) Kenjiro Okazaki “Strata of Perception” Toyota Municipal Museum of Art

Kenjiro Okazaki’s solo exhibition “Strata of Perception” was held at Toyota Municipal Museum of Art — a venue that is not the easiest to reach — but the content prompted a rediscovery of how to look at art and was thoroughly enjoyable.

The earlier gallery solo exhibition featuring the Zero-Sum series was also good. Another gallery solo exhibition is reportedly planned for 2020 as well. Something else to look forward to!

The catalog of the main show, to be released in February 2020, has a wonderful design and physical presence that could almost be mistaken for a Kenjiro Okazaki sculpture.