[Art Collection] Yukimasa Ida "Crystallization" — Unboxing Report of the 200-Copy Limited Special Edition!

Yukimasa Ida “Crystallization”

Held from June 2 (Tue) to June 30 (Tue), 2020 — after the lifting of the state of emergency due to COVID-19 — Yukimasa Ida’s exhibition “Crystallization” marked the release of his first collected works.
At the GINZA ATRIUM of Ginza Tsutaya Books, the monumental work “Crystallization,” produced in 2020, was divided into 200 pieces and displayed as packaged special editions.

The method of finely dividing a single work and selling it anew is reminiscent of the “Severed Spots” project undertaken in April 2020 by the Brooklyn-based art collective “MSCHF.”
That project separated a single edition work from Damien Hirst’s signature “Spot Painting” series into 88 spots, selling them online as MSCHF’s new work “88 Spots.”

今回の展覧会の200分割された作品。
ダミアンのスポットペインティング切りとった作品とシンクロニシティ起きたこと気付いてたけど、それに気付いてくれた人それなりにいてなんか嬉しかったすな。
別にアンチテーゼかましてるわけではなくて、裁断による絵画のメタモルフォーゼなんですけどね。 pic.twitter.com/Zerx8Rx33h

— Yukimasa IDA 井田幸昌( IDA Studio ) (@idayukimasa) June 8, 2020

The Special Edition Arrives — Unboxing

The editor of this site, “art on,” entered the application by listing up to a fifth choice within the reception period. Keeping in mind the notice that “winners will be contacted successively from July 7 (Tue) onward,” I waited for that time.
Then, on July 10 (Fri) when I had nearly given up, the winning notification arrived from Tsutaya Books.

After completing payment within the designated period, some time later it arrived via Yamato Transport.
Incidentally, the standard edition of the collected works reportedly recorded Ginza Tsutaya’shighest sales volume in history.

Taking out the box protected by bubble wrap reveals a cardboard box. On closer inspection, a white sticker with the edition number is printed on it.

Opening the box further, a vividly red satin-fabric box comes into view.

The special box housing the special edition

Carefully opening the box, the 200-part work described in the winning email was protected by a freely removable acrylic panel.

The acrylic panel was placed over the work as a lid, and on my collected piece — thickened with oil paint — some portions had transferred a bit of color onto the acrylic panel.

When I opened the acrylic panel, the rich and thick fragrance of oil paint burst out all at once, stimulating my nose.

Although only slightly larger than the F4-sized “end of today series,” it gave a much larger impression than that.

Looking closely at the support, one sees it has been packaged as the cover of the collected works.
It is constructed as an integrated piece with the book, so the oil painting cannot be removed as a stand-alone work.

Whether to display it indoors using the attached acrylic panel, or to frame the collected works volume as it is — this promises to be a difficult decision.
Notably, a handwritten signature and edition number are inscribed on the back cover.

Incidentally, regarding the special edition, a handwritten signature is placed on the back cover.
The reason for signing the back cover — despite it being a unique piece — was to establish it as a single painting while simultaneously asserting that it is also a book.
The picture book is enclosed between them; I wanted to express my journey up to now and my present. It was an enormous task, but I would like to once again thank everyone who cooperated. — Excerpt from Yukimasa Ida’s Twitter

Once the oil painting and collected works volume are removed, a large-scale poster appears folded and sealed in a plastic bag. It could be called a group portrait of the 200 editions. I found myself searching for where my own edition was positioned.

After removing the poster, the last item to appear is the edition work “Portrait,” produced using RICOH’s technology. This comes in 10 colors, each in 20 editions.

“Portrait” is finished with distinctive raised textures, and turning it over shows that it is a hand-stretched canvas. The title, signature, and edition number were also handwritten on it.

Conclusion

This work has enormous presence, both in its packaging and in itself.
The strong power emanating from the actual piece overwhelms far more than any photographic image conveys.

As a fan of Yukimasa Ida, this became a wonderful gift.

Overview

“YUKIMASA IDA: Crystallization” Special Edition (limited to 200 copies)
Publisher: Bijutsu Shuppan-Sha
List price: 300,000 yen (excluding tax), shipping 2,500 yen, tax 30,250 yen ※Total: 332,750 yen (tax included)

Contents: Special edition book (284 pages / 364×259mm / newly drawn cover), one print work (227×158mm, 10 colors × 20 editions each), cover-work poster (1070×486mm)
Release date: June 2, 2020
Lottery applications on the OIL by Bijutsu Techo special site: https://crystallization.bijutsutecho.com/
※Application period: June 2 (Tue) – June 30 (Tue), 2020. Winners contacted successively from July 7 (Tue) onward.