MURAKAMI Takashi Show and Freezing Mother with Baby. Kyoto’s Problematic Image. Minor, B-Class Exhibitions @ Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art 村上隆個展と凍える母親と赤ちゃん。問題のある京都のイメージ。マイナー、Bクラスの展覧会 @ 京都市京セラ美術館
I really do love Kyoto. I can’t count, how many times I visited Kyoto and stayed with my foreign friends in wonderful, traditional Ryokans in the last 40 years.
Because I LOVE Kyoto, the latest problematic circumstances at the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art 京都市京セラ美術館 are breaking my heart. This is not the Kyoto I know.
“It” all started with the solo show of extreme right wing, conservative artist IDA Yukimasa 井田幸昌 at the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art, last year.
The Japan Times article had been hidden, censured by 34 years old Ida, who normally posts everything about him and calls his young wife, with the extremely discriminating word, “Ofukuro” お袋.
井田幸昌 IDA Yukimasa on X (screenshots) // ここに載せた写真とスクリーンショットは、すべて「好意によりクリエーティブ・コモン・センス」の文脈で、日本美術史の記録の為に発表致します
‘Panta Rhei’: Yukimasa Ida is still searching for his own voice
Japan Times, 3 November 2023, by Lance Henderstein
quote:
Ida’s statement gives us only a confused description involving women’s position in society (the table is populated by what appear to be women), artificial intelligence and robots replacing humans (the supposed women are in fact “objects,” he explains); it’s a muddle of contemporary issues combined in the name of satire. What Ida’s “Last Supper” is satirizing isn’t at all clear, and the rigid, collage-like treatment lacks the primal energy and ecstatic beauty of Ida’s other works.
Like a talented musician who can solo with the best of them but struggles to write a classic song of his own, Ida seems to have chosen to rely on sampling great artists of the past, which may actually suit the current times of cut-and-paste meme culture but also feels like artistic immaturity. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2023/11/04/art/yukimasa-ida-panta-rhei/
With some money, the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art, lets “everyone” do an exhibition, like Ida’s. As Jerome Sans and I are close friends since over 20 years, let me assure you, that Jerome played the “pseudo-curator” for Ida’s ‘Panta Rhei’ for some extra money (plus flight, meals and accommodations in Japan) with a troublesome smile on his face.
Now let’s get to the next B-Class exhibition in the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art during 2021.
With little money, a somehow amateurish curatorial practice could be noticed with the exhibition “Bubbles / Debris: Art during the Era of Japanese Emperor (Emeritus) Akihito’s Reign 1989–2019″『平成美術:うたかたと瓦礫（デブリ） 1989-2019』展.
The curator and art critic SAWARAGI Noi 椹木野衣 received a huge amount of bad critics; the local art scene didn’t approve his “cheap” manoeuvre.
Via OZAKI Tetsuya’s FB post, I wrote the following comment:
“Thx for sharing. I didn’t see this exhibition in person, but via the internet. The title and the picked up artists groups might be interesting in their art practices, however I don’t understand why on earth we should contextualise a certain religious time calendar. “Art of the Heisei Period” 平成美術 is for the non-initiate quite misleading. A truly fucked-up title. If he thinks the period after 1989 brought debris, see his time-line-wall of historical events, the contrary has to be said. The Fall of the Berlin Wall and the implementation of the Euro brought an era of prosperity and happiness to the world, including Japan. Next, why on earth do I miss several artists, who still are much more important and influential during this era? Picking up a certain number of “artist groups”, (obviously affiliated to a certain behind-the-scene relationship), plus, I don’t regard UKAWA Naohiro as a group, manifests how the intentional, irresponsible, curational practice backfired. Ignoring for example the influential Xijing Men, Kaikai Kiki artists group (not identical with the “Geisai-festival”), shows in what dilemma the curator put himself in. Last, to be over the top, he should have had exhibited works by artists groups like NITTEN 日展, INTEN 院展 and Hakujitsukai 白日会展.”
Tetsuya Ozaki:
“Hi Mario, thank you for your provocative comment. A few words: the relationship is not “behind-the-scene”, it is obvious.”
more @
ヘルター・スケルター チェーンソーを使って、シュード・クリティック椹木野衣のファックドアップ平成美術 (笑)
Helter Skelter chainsawing pseudo-critic SAWARAGI Noi likes to fuck things up: “Art during the Era of Japanese Emperor (Emeritus) Akihito’s Reign” (lol) https://art-culture.world/articles/sawaragi-noi-椹木野衣/
Finally, let’s turn the spot-light on our Japanese BIG LIAR, MURAKAMI Takashi 村上隆.
Japanese BIG LIAR MURAKAMI Takashi. American / Japanese? Currently lives and works in Tokyo and New York ? Screenshot from artnet, 2024/2/5
Japanese art worker MURAKAMI Takashi is NOT American but Japanese. Neither does he work in Tokyo and New York. His atelier is located in the Saitama Prefecture, where he is mostly living, sleeping and working. Check his Instagram Account.
After the “2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami” he moved to Kyoto, where his family with 2 kids (?) are living until to this day.
Obviously, in this Kyoto-context, I don’t need to introduce his artistic practice, as my ART+CULTURE readers already had plenty of opportunities to get informed, see the links:
村上隆とNFT：芸術家は、死ぬまでの短い数十年間で、その後何百年も対応可能な作品を作らねばなりません。 (Part 2)
MURAKAMI Takashi thinks, to be remembered hundreds of years later, he has to join shitty NFT: “Murakami Flowers” for dumb NFT digital money speculators (Part 2) https://art-culture.world/articles/murakami-flower-2022/
世界のNFT作品70%下落。今日の村上隆：すでに入札をしてくださっていた方々には誠に申し訳ないのですが、より便利に楽しく安心して私のNFT作品を楽しんで頂く為にも、今回の取り下げをご理解頂けますと幸いです。
NFTs prices linked to art down 70%. MURAKAMI Takashi, today: I sincerely apologize to those who have already put in their bids, but I hope you will understand the logic behind this withdrawal, the aim of which is to later allow you to enjoy my NFT works more conveniently and with peace of mind. https://art-culture.world/articles/murakami-takashi-nft-apology/
Art worker Murakami refused giving interviews for his Mori Art Museum Show (2015), and repeatedly emphasised that he will never do a show in Japan again.
He can be called a happy person, as he has a family with kids, is famous and a very rich artist and art collector (Yokohama show, 2015). https://yokohama.art.museum/special/2015/murakamicollection/english.html
However, he treats most of his staff like slaves, and constantly complains about his personal misery on Instagram. But not anymore on Facebook or X. Check his IG. Metaphorically I can say, “every time he opens his mouth, he lies.” He plays the cool and pitiful Japanese artist who has no money.
Actually he is showing a discriminating behaviour towards the people of Kyoto, which he would not dare to try in Tokyo or Yokohama.
This inhuman, scandalous situation can be exemplarily seen now in front of the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art: “Takashi Murakami Mononoke Kyoto”. Yesterday, on the opening day, the 3rd, an immense long queue formed in front of the museum.
The first 50,000 visitors to the Murakami’s exhibition were given “collectible trading cards”, and many young people in the line had been asking for one. The card has already been resold for a high price on flea market // reseller’s apps. Most of these young people didn’t enter the museum. “Real” visitors said, the exhibition space was almost empty.
MURAKAMI Takashi on the opening day @ Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art
On X the following scandalous situation had been made public:
【悲報】
生後3～4ヶ月の赤子、極寒の中、村上隆個展のプロモカードを貰うために8時間以上並ばせられる。
転売ヤーも命懸けで日々転売してます。
（赤子の）
【sad news】
A 3-4 month old baby was forced to stand in line for more than 8 hours in the freezing cold to receive a promo card for Takashi Murakami’s solo exhibition.
Resellers also risk their lives to resell items every day.
(baby)
[Resale Journal]
The hot topic among resellers is the promo card (limited to 50,000 copies) that will be available for artist Takashi Murakami’s solo exhibition to be held on Saturday, February 3rd.
How much money will you make?
I would like to go to Kyoto for an interview.
If you want to see the fights between resellers, please follow and wait
[Hell] Kyocera Museum of Art’s “Takashi Murakami Mononoke Kyoto” is flooded with resellers as trading cards offered as bonuses for visitors sell at high prices.
Those who are half-hearted keep looping over and over and the interrupt line never progresses.
No one can complain about the visibly scary-looking brothers, but the police finally start calling for them to come out.
#京セラ美術館 #村上隆 #もののけ京都 #トレーディングカード #トレカ
Translate post
[Complete explanation of Takashi Murakami Kyocera riot incident]
① Around 3 o’clock in the morning, a half-grey group suddenly appears, cutting in at the front.
↓
② There was already nearly 500 people in line, so there was no way the people behind them would be satisfied, and the venue erupted in flames 🔥
↓
③ The police arrived and tried to persuade them, but they didn’t respond.
↓
④ The museum acknowledges the intervention.
And the group at the front went crazy 🤣 and in the end they were thrown off and left 👐
これ、どうやら転売ヤーの間ではごねれば郵送してくれそうと判断したようで京都の村上隆展に方向転換してるようだ。人少ない方が助かるから来ないのは別に構わんけど、この際もし郵送可になっても診断書必要とか後出しして転売ヤー殺して欲しい😇
Translated from Japanese by
It seems that resellers have decided that if they ask, they will send it by mail, so they have changed direction to the Takashi Murakami exhibition in Kyoto. I don’t mind if they don’t come because it would be better if there were fewer people, but even if it becomes possible to send them by mail, I would like them to require a medical certificate or send it out later and kill the resellers 😇
アートとお金というか、村上隆はただの「お金」しか感じない。「お金」だけを絶対的に感じる、「アート」は全然感じない。
Translated from Japanese by
Art and money, or rather, Takashi Murakami feels nothing but “money.” I absolutely feel only “money”, and I don’t feel “art” at all.
I arrived at the Kyocera Museum of Art just after 4pm to look forward to the “Takashi Murakami Mononoke Kyoto” show that started today. There was a huge line outside and the reception ended unexpectedly. I had an admission ticket, but I still couldn’t line up 🥹
Usually 18:00 → They will extend it until 20:00, but they say it is still not possible.
I heard that there were a lot of trading card resellers, so people who really wanted to see it couldn’t see it 😢
Above pics, links and texts from X are for the record and as confirmation that the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art did some bad management practice.
Art worker Murakami, who runs a company and is a rich person, says he has no money. Therein lies the main problem.
This exhibition has been planed long time ago and was constantly under severe curatorial control.
However, the exhibition is not installed with the works in question. Murakami could not fulfil the contract, ergo cheated the people of Kyoto and every foreign traveller, who likes to visit today this museum.
Murakami’s art practice that imitates other artists’ works. Full of plagiarism works, using AI (!!), to be seen also here in Kyoto.
In “非常に優れている企画展「Viva Video! 久保田成子展」@ MOT！”, KUBOTA Shigeko’s solo show at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, I wrote, that I want to get the Japanese contemporary artists’ practices and results elevated, reaching higher standards.
See:
“私は日本現代アートをより良くする為に生きています。自分のアート実践とは別に、時間、エネルギー、知識、お金や肉体の力を無駄にしたくありません。久保田成子が存命であった当時に回顧展が実現できなかった事実は、日本の美術界の恥さらしだと言いたいです。心は怒っています。” https://art-culture.world/articles/kubota-shigeko-museum-of-contemporary-art-tokyo-久保田成子/
However, art worker Murakami’s practice, using also AI, destroys the Japanese art world.
The exhibitions at the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art are of minor quality, something is dangerously going towards the wrong direction.
The General Manager, TAKAHASHI Shinya 高橋信也（京都市京セラ美術館事業企画推進室 ゼネラルマネージャー）, whom I know from his time at the bookstore Nadiff, probably has to rethink the concept of this museum. Basically it’s not about money. Contemporary art is NOT related to commercialism. Mothers with babies shouldn’t freeze, for 8 hours, in front of the Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art.
Tokyo, 2024/2/4
Mario A 亜 真里男
2024/2/25 up-date:
今日、朝日新聞の大西若人の記事。村上隆：「今後はもう日本では個展をやりたくない」
MURAKAMI Takashi on the opening day @ Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art
Today’s article by ONISHI Wakato in the Asahi Shimbun Newspaper. MURAKAMI Takashi: “From now on, I don’t want to do any more a solo exhibition in Japan”
Up-dates on 5th of February 2024 @ 11:33 Japan time
Screenshot of MURAKAMI Takashi’s Instagram account on 5th of February 2024, @ 11:24 Japan time.Screenshot of MURAKAMI Takashi’s Instagram account on 5th of February 2024, @ 11:24 Japan time.
＼村上隆 もののけ 京都／
🗓️2024年2月3日（土）～9月1日（日）
📍京都市京セラ美術館 新館 東山キューブ
📱https://takashimurakami-kyoto.exhibit.jp
—
First 50K visitors get free COLLECTIBLE TRADING CARDS!🎁
Takashi Murakami has been active in a non-fungible token (NFT) art project—his first product was ‘http://Murakami.Flowers,’ a series of 24×24 pixel icons based on his iconic Flower design, a homage to the visuals of the video games in the ’70s.
The trading cards are what comes next.
Takashi Murakami Mononoke Kyoto will be offering a limited version of trading cards to visitors to the Exhibition.
This is a first-come-first-served exclusive item—50,000 in total.
Don’t miss it!
“Takashi Murakami Mononoke Kyoto”
February 3 (Sat) – September 1 (Sun), 2024
Higashiyama Cube, Kyoto City KYOCERA Museum of Art
For more information, please visit⬇️
https://takashimurakami-kyoto.exhibit.jp/en/
9時間待って入りました。会場内は大混雑だろうと思って入ったら、中は空いてました。カードが欲しいだけで作品に興味はない人ばかりです。
Translated from Japanese by
I waited for 9 hours to get in. I entered the venue thinking it would be crowded, but it was empty. There are people who just want the cards and are not interested in the work.
村上隆展、転売ヤーはカードだけ取って展示見ずに帰るからスッカスカで気持ちよく展示見られてサイコーでした
ありがとうございます 転売ヤー ほんとうにいい時間でした
９時間並びましたが
Translated from Japanese by
Takashi Murakami exhibition, resellers just take their cards and go home without seeing the exhibits, so I was able to see the exhibits comfortably and comfortably.Thank you very much.Resellers: It was a really good time.I waited in line for 9 hours.
Link_https://twitter.com/wsddssa/status/1753726840253067561
村上隆展、新作の《洛中洛外図 岩佐又兵衛 rip》（2023-24）が圧巻でした。
13mの大作で、かつての京都の街並みや人々のなかにキャラクターも。
もとになる洛中洛中図（舟木本）をAIを使って線描化、それを人の手で描き起こすという工程。
Translated from Japanese by
Takashi Murakami’s new work “Rakuchu Rakugai Zu Iwasa Matabei rip” (2023-24) was a masterpiece.
This is a 13m large-scale work that includes characters in the streets and people of Kyoto in the past.
The process of drawing the original Rakuchu Rakuchu Zu (Funaki book) using AI and drawing it by hand.
そして本展、村上さんの「言い訳」がまた別の作品になっているのも面白いポイント。作品の経緯、まだ未完成である説明などがオーディオコメンタリーのように吹き出しに描かれている。
言い訳と言いつつサービス精神満載。文脈を理解してほしいという思いや啓蒙的な要素も感じる。
Translated from Japanese by
Another interesting point in this exhibition is that Murakami’s “excuses” are yet another work. The history of the work and explanations of how it is still unfinished are written in speech bubbles like an audio commentary.
Although it is an excuse, it is full of service spirit. I feel that there is a desire for people to understand the context, and there is also an edifying element.
