Events

Symposium  *Japanese-English simultaneous interpretation available

Seeking an Ideal Society

In her series "Mon grand récit," and other works, Lee Bul has pursued an ideal vision of society with reference to the utopian theories and social political theories of the 20th century. The South Korea of the late 1980s, where she began her work as an artist, was experiencing a time of both hope and uncertainty as the country shifted towards democracy and existing value systems were being shaken up. The panelists at this symposium will be Lee Bul, Richard Noble a leading Western researcher into utopian theories; and Takahashi Toru, a scholar on cyborg theory who considers future societies with reference to cyborg technology, which really does have the potential to create 'ultimate bodies.' These panelists will discuss Lee's artwork in the context of the 20th century, out of which utopian theories were born. In the present age of confusion, we invite you to come and think about the visions for ideal society that each of them describe.

Speakers: Lee Bul, Richard Noble (Head of Art Department at Goldsmiths College, University of London), Takahashi Toru (Professor, Waseda University)

Moderator: Kataoka Mami (Chief Curator, Mori Art Museum)

Date: 14:00-16:00, Sunday, 5 February, 2012 (Door open 13:30-)
Venue: Academyhills49, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower 49F
Capacity: 150 (bookings required)
Admission: General ¥1,000; MAMC Member free
Organizers: Mori Art Museum, Academyhills

Bookings: * Booked Out

Talk Session  *Japanese-Korean simultaneous interpretation available

Formless Form

Throughout her career, Lee Bul has given form to intangible things like ideals, anxiety, and desire. Nawa Kohei, meanwhile, continues to present work that highlights the physicality of materials and textures and stimulates the senses. These two artists have in common not only their background as students of sculpture at art university, but that their works appeal to bodily sensations, are decorative, and take on organic forms. The commonalities and points of difference that emerge in the course of the dialogue between these two artists are certain to provide valuable insights into their artwork.

Speakers: Lee Bul, Nawa Kohei (sculptor)

Date: 14:00-16:00, Tuesday, 20 March, 2012 (Registration 13:30-)
Venue: Mori Art Museum
Capacity: 80 (bookings required)
Admission: Free (exhibition ticket required)

Bookings: * Booked Out

Lecture  *Japanese Only

Lecture1: From Monsters to Goddesses:
Lee Bul and Female Artists in the 21st Century

The 21st century has seen the emergence of a host of female artists whose activities are global in scale. By looking at the work of some of Lee Bul's dazzling predecessors, such as Kusama Yayoi, Louise Bourgeois, Annette Messager, and Kiki Smith, as well as that of some of the talented Asian female artists of her own generation, such as Cao Fei, Shiota Chiharu, and Matsui Fuyuko, this lecture will provide insights into the love of the creative process to which she is an heir as well as the individual, original worldview required to build a new future.

Speaker: Okabe Aomi (art critic)

Date: 15:00-16:30, Saturday, 7 April, 2012 (Registration 14:30-)
Venue: Mori Art Museum
Capacity: 80 (bookings required)
Admission: Free (exhibition ticket required)

Bookings: * Booked Out

Lecture2: Reading Lee Bul's Art from the Perspective of Architecture

The "Mon grand récit" series, which Lee Bul began in 2005, makes reference to the likes of Bruno Taut, famous for his "alpine architecture," and the architect Vladimir Shukhov, who greatly influenced Russian avant-garde architecture. This program delves deeply into the background behind Lee Bul's artwork by taking a close look at 20th century Utopian architecture.

Speaker: Igarashi Taro (Professor, Tohoku University)

Date: 19:00-20:30, Friday, 13 April, 2012 (Registration 18:30-)
Venue: Mori Art Museum
Capacity: 80 (bookings required)
Admission: Free (exhibition ticket required)

Bookings: * Booked Out

Lecture3: 'Wearing' Society and History:
The Art of Lee Bul and Contemporary South Korea

In the mid-1980s when Lee Bul graduated university and began her career as an artist, South Korea was in the maelstrom of a democracy movement that arose in opposition to the country's military dictatorship. In the art world, the focus was on studying closely modern and contemporary South Korean history and questioning reality, giving rise to the Minjoong Misool, or "People's Art" movement. It could be said that Lee Bul's art practice is an adroit indictment of South Korean society, in which seemingly contradictory values such as tradition and reform, conservatism and progressiveness, patriarchal order and a diversity of gender identities collide. This lecture examines Lee's extreme yet subtle approach to interpreting and presenting this aspect of South Korean society and history.

Speaker: Hyeshin Kim (Lecturer, Aoyama Gakuin University)

Date: 15:00-16:30, Saturday, 21th April, 2012 (Registration 14:30-)
Venue: Mori Art Museum
Capacity: 80 (bookings required)
Admission: Free (exhibition ticket required)

Bookings: * Booked Out

Curator Talk  * Japanese only

The exhibition curator discusses the sense of values that can be seen in Lee Bul's artworks, making reference to various theories of Utopia and "the ideal society."

Speaker: Kataoka Mami (Chief Curator, Mori Art Museum)

Date: 19:00-20:30, Wednesday, 22 February, 2012 (Registration 18:30-)
Venue: Mori Art Museum
Capacity: 80 (bookings required)
Admission: free (exhibition ticket required)
Bookings: * Booked Out

Children's workshop: Children's Pride 4.28 in Roppongi Hills  *Japanese Only

Through her creative activities, Lee Bul has pursued a vision of the future. To coincide with the exhibition, contemporary artist Yamamoto Takayuki has been invited to hold a children's workshop. Participants will write on placards, flags, and so on the kinds of things children wish for everyday that might provide a clue to making the world a better place, such as "I want to become an adult," "Wouldn't it be great if each day was longer," "I want a big sister," and "I want to fly through the sky," and shout them out as they parade around.

Instructor: Yamamoto Takayuki (artist)

Date: 13:00-16:30, Saturday, 28 April, 2012
Venue: Mori Art Museum and others
Capacity: 20 (bookings required)
Recommended Age: Ages 5-10
Admission: Free (exhibition ticket required)

Bookings: * Booked Out