Latest news with #YayoiKusama
Condé Nast Traveler
4 days ago
- General
- Condé Nast Traveler
Where to Go in Japan That Isn't Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka
Here's where to go in Japan when you've already seen the big cities—and want to come home to your besties (and make them jealous) with travel tales from further afield. Naoshima in the Seto Inland Sea is a living museum, where contemporary art and striking architecture are woven seamlessly into the landscape. Unsplash Naoshima, for art aficionados Are you an art lover? Then you should check out Naoshima. Lara of First in Service says that this tiny island in the Seto Inland Sea is a living museum, where world-class contemporary art and striking architecture are woven seamlessly into the landscape: 'Think Yayoi Kusama's iconic dotted pumpkins sitting by the water's edge, Tadao Ando's minimalist masterpieces carved into hillsides, and entire fishing villages transformed into open-air art projects.' Neufville of Neufville Travel agrees, and recommends that travelers also check out the other Seto Islands, which also have a plethora of contemporary art installations and galleries. Since there are many outdoor exhibits, the best time to visit Naoshima is whenever the weather is nice: spring, early summer, and late autumn are best. That window of time also coincides with the Setouchi Triennale 2025, a contemporary art festival which happens every three years and showcases even more art on various islands in the Seto Inland Sea (tickets for the fall session, from September 1 to November 9, are now on sale.) Getting to Naoshima can be tricky: It involves taking a train from Kyoto Station or Shin-Osaka Station to Okayama Station; a car transfer from there to Uno Port; then a ferry from there to Naoshima's Honmura Port. Treat yourself after the journey to a sleek stay at Naoshima Ryokan ROKA, where you'll find 11 minimalist guest rooms of wood, washi, and tatami; and wonderful sunken bathtubs with walls of glass opening onto green vistas. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial (a.k.a. Genbaku Dome) was the only structure left standing in the area where the first atomic bomb exploded on August 6, 1945. Pexels Hiroshima, for a piece of world history Hiroshima offers a moving, essential experience for any and all travelers visiting Japan. This city was largely razed to the ground in World War II by one of two atomic bombs detonated by the United States in 1945, during World War II (the other exploded in Nagasaki, on the island of Kyushu). Today, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park contains the ruins of Genbaku Dome, one of the few buildings that was left standing after the historic event. Referring to the dome, the park, and the city more broadly, Lara of First in Service says, 'It stands as a powerful symbol of peace and rebirth, making it a great place for those drawn to the deeper currents of history and human endurance.'
Time Out
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Even more oversized tables and chairs are coming to the Broad
Next to Yayoi Kusama's Infinity Mirrored Room—The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away, the most photographed piece in the Broad museum's collection of contemporary art just might be Robert Therrien's Under the Table. You know the one—the giant table and chairs that you ask your friend to snap a photo of as you stand underneath, looking upward. Well pull up a chair, we've got great news: Later this year, an entire exhibition of the late sculptor's works is coming to the museum. In 'Robert Therrien: This is a Story,' expect more huge housewares and striking works, plus some intimate drawings and surprises. Here's what you need to know. Chicago-born, L.A.-based artist Therrien, who passed away in 2019, holds a special place at the Broad—he was one of the first L.A. artists to be included in its collection. His work explores memory and perception by experimenting with scale and material and finding inspiration in seemingly ordinary objects. 'The most important thing to know about Therrien is that he can evoke a sense of wonder,' says Broad curator Ed Schad. And visitors will be able to experience even more of that wonder in the show, the largest-ever solo exhibition of the artist's work. More than 120 pieces that Therrien created over five decades will be on display, from his signature enormous sculptures to more intimate drawings of snowmen, birds and chapels. Many of the pieces, including some the artist completed just before his death, have never been shown in museums before. You'll be able to walk underneath another humongous dining set, a way-larger-than-life beard and a stack of plates that appear to be in motion. You can also expect 'full-sized rooms full of surprises and encounters that are a hallmark of the artist's practice.' Therrien's Downtown L.A. studio—which was located just a few miles from the Broad—will also be partially re-created as part of the exhibition. The show will display the fun and playful but also the serious aspects of Therrien's oeuvre. And more than that, you'll be able to look beyond his works as mere photo ops to discover the creative process and meaning behind his eye-catching creations. 'Robert Therrien: This is a Story' will open November 22 (so after the current special exhibition, the joyous ' Jeffrey Gibson: the space in which to place me,' closes) and will run through April 5, 2026. The show will fill the first-floor galleries and be a specially ticketed exhibition (read: not free like the rest of the museum). Pricing has yet to be announced, but if the Gibson exhibition—which costs $15 but is free to visit on Thursday nights—is any indication, there might be some chances to see the Therrien exhibition for free, so stay tuned. And expect a full slate of special programming that coincides with the show. Tickets will be available this summer at
NZ Herald
26-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
The best tours in Melbourne, Australia
Uncover hidden laneway bars with Depot Adventures Melbourne has a reputation for incredible cocktails, but the question travellers may struggle with is, where do you find them? It's a question answered by Depot Adventures, who run tours to four bars you wouldn't discover alone. Drop into the bluesy bar beneath Driver Lane, find Mill Place Merchants, a cosy speakeasy behind a hidden door in what you think is a quiet part of town, meet the team at Little Lon and learn why they thought it might be a good idea to build gin distillery in a former brothel, and get the opportunity to meet the owners, bar tenders and mixologists serving up Melbourne's best drinks. Your guide can also give you tips for other venues around town. Ghost tour of Pentridge Prison Once a prison for hardened criminals, the Pentridge Precinct is now run by the National Trust and you can follow a warden through the cells as he does his rounds during a night watch tour. Traipse through the old cellblocks and exercise yards and hear the sad and spooky tales of prisoners once held behind these walls. Other areas of the precinct have been renovated and high-end bars and accommodation are open to the public. Have a drink at Olivine downstairs and grab a quick dinner at Brewdog. Sports arenas Passionate about football or cricket? A Premium Access behind-the-scenes tour at Melbourne's iconic MCG takes visitors through warm-up rooms, locker areas, ice baths, viewing boxes, training pitches and into the media room. Volunteer guides are founts of sports knowledge and take pride in their beloved ground. Follow up with the Keeper's Collection tour and see the world's second-oldest cricket bat, made in 1746. Other items of note are Don Bradman's baggy green, a tandem bicycle used to win an Australian gold medal in the 1956 Olympics, jerseys, running shoes, trophies, footy records, cricket stumps, hockey sticks and anything you can imagine that's related to rugby, football, cricket and sports in Australia. Request that All Blacks memorabilia be curated for your tour. Ultimate Winery tours Head out of town to the Mornington Peninsula for an unforgettable Ultimate Winery tour experience at Pt Leo Estate. Enjoy a wine tasting, then dine at the two-hatted Laura restaurant. The signature experience starts with champagne and oysters topped with ponzu and pickled ginger. Southern rock lobster is flambéed at the table, and a luscious wagyu is served with ice cream made from local avocado and wasabi. There's house-made cheese wrapped in Pinot Noir leaves from the estate and strawberries straight from the Pt Leo Estate Garden. By the end of the meal, you'll need a walk so follow a tour guide around Australia's largest privately-owned sculpture park as they explain the concepts and history of some of the 70 large-scale works by artists like Yayoi Kusama and KAWS. State library tour If books are your passion, the state library runs free tours, which is fitting given it was one of the first free libraries in the world. Learn about the history of Australia's oldest home of tomes, spend some time with a rare book or out-of-print magazine in the heritage reading rooms, and get into the archives to explore the collection of print and digital works like audiovisual files, music scores, plays, photographs, vintage postcards, and, of course, books. Wander through the halls and savour the rotating artworks and museum pieces of the collection. Volunteer guides are so knowledgeable and passionate about the history of Melbourne and Victoria, and skilled in helping visitors find specific information.
Japan Times
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
'Ukiyo-e in Play' showcases traditional art carved anew
On the second floor of an unassuming building in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, three young artisans sit cross-legged on tatami, working. They scrub cherry wood with hog hair before inspecting, scrubbing again, then painting and pressing. It's near silent but for the gentle bristle and crackle of brush, wood and paper. We are in the Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints, an institution specializing in the traditional production of ukiyo-e. Propped up on zabuton pillows and hunched over modest wooden workstations, the artisans — who all happen to women in their 20s this day — are practicing an age-old craft using the exact same method as when the art form was first popularised over 350 years ago. But it's not just reproductions of Hokusai's 'Great Wave' or Edo landscapes that these artisans are diligently crafting. Since the early 1970s, the Adachi Institute has been working on creating brand new ukiyo-e prints in collaboration with contemporary artists. Now, they are exhibiting the resulting 162 prints by 85 artists in 'Ukiyo-e in Play,' an exhibition at the Tokyo National Museum that runs through June 15. The range of work is international and stylistically diverse. We see woodblock versions of Yayoi Kusama's polka dot Mount Fuji, Tadanori Yokoo's expressive oil paintings and Mono-ha pioneer Lee Ufan's conceptual color studies. Elsewhere, the relationship between ukiyo-e and manga is observed through prints by artists such as the late Mizuki Shigeru, creator of the manga series 'GeGeGe no Kitaro.' We also see iconic works take on new forms of expression in prints based on sculptures by Antony Gormley and Izumi Kato. These works are spread across two floors, covering the method behind ukiyo-e, its development over the years to the present and the stories behind today's crosscultural projects. Part of the Adachi Institute's mission is to push the limits of the ukiyo-e art form, train young artisans and inspire artists to ensure the craft's survival. | 'Ukiyo-e in Play' Exhibition Venue Photo 'All 162 works were made right here, in this studio,' says Koko Nakayama, curator at the Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints. The team worked closely with Fumio Nanjo, a longtime collaborator and the curator of 'Ukiyo-e in Play.' 'In the West, printmaking is regarded as a subcategory of painting, but in Japan, it is one of the important art forms,' says the former director of the Mori Art Museum. 'With this exhibition we are trying to show that ukiyo-e print culture is quite an independent art form and there is a total ecosystem to support it.' The process requires three integral roles — the artist, the carver and the printer — plus the publisher who oversees the production. Each step brings its own set of challenges. Carving demands patience and precision to form intricate lines less than a millimeter wide to create details as defined as a single strand of hair. Printing requires both strength and sensitivity — balancing pressure and pigment to bring the image to life. The materials are specific, too: cherry wood, water-based pigment paints and handcrafted washi paper made in Fukui Prefecture by Ichibei Iwano — 'a living national treasure,' according to Nakayama. Part of the Adachi Institute's mission is to push the limits of this art form, beyond the centuries-old work of masters like Hokusai and Hiroshige. 'We try to bring in different types of expression to explore new possibilities — we don't want to just make copies,' says Nakayama. For example, contemporary painter Ayako Rokkaku layers acrylic directly onto canvas using only her fingers. When she first started, she was curious to see whether a woodblock print could capture the roughness of her brushless strokes and overlapping paints. In an interview displayed alongside her work at the exhibition, Rokkaku reflects on the surprising outcome: 'I became more aware of the rhythms and the edges of shapes in my work. ... (The craftspeople) showed me the fluctuations in those areas and how they separated the ambiguous parts.' A woodblock version of Tadanori Yokoo's "Hanshan and Shide Part III" (2023) is among the162 prints by 85 artists on display at 'Ukiyo-e in Play.' | © Tadanori Yokoo Like Rokkaku's, many of the Adachi Institute's ukiyo-e re-creations are ambitious: Kiki Smith's print, for example, took about three years to complete — not only because it is so intricate but because of the multiple moving elements of the collaboration. Titled 'Paper Wasps Nest,' it depicts a hive made up of whisper thin lines, balanced among branches against a soft gradient wash. 'The carving alone takes a long time, and the printing even more,' says Nakayama. 'Some works are printed over 30 times to achieve subtle gradations.' This, along with the continuous back-and-forth between the artisans and an overseas artist, makes for a lengthy process. In Antony Gormley's case, the sculptor wanted to achieve a specific monochrome gradation that was difficult with the ukiyo-e method, so he decided to paint the backdrop himself and have the printer press his trademark ghostly figure on top of it. 'That became a true collaboration,' Nakayama says. Mone Sasaki, one of the printers working at the Adachi Institute, enjoys this creative challenge of adapting a wholly different work of art. "When I first receive the artwork, I start thinking about how I can re-create it. I have to consider the colors and how to express the artistry. ... Of course, it's difficult, but I enjoy thinking through those challenges.' For Nakayama, who grew up surrounded by ukiyo-e — her great uncle founded the Adachi Institute — the most exciting part of the process is unraveling the sheer level of technical mastery. 'It's hard to believe it's done by human hands,' she says. 'The prints come out almost identical — 100 copies that are all exactly the same. These days, artists talk about uniqueness, but in our tradition, uniqueness isn't allowed. The goal is perfect repetition.' The range of work showcased at 'Ukiyo-e in Play' is international and stylistically diverse. | 'Ukiyo-e in Play' Exhibition Venue Photo That level of precision remains one of the craft's most astonishing qualities. In an art world overflowing with digital tools and means of instant reproduction, this inherited method is a sharp contrast. It's this tension that drew Canadian digital artist Michah Dowbak, aka Mad Dog Jones, to woodblock printing. He selected one of his most recognizable digital artworks, 'Replicator.' Ukiyo-e is the 'perfect' medium for it, he says, because the piece contemplates human relationships with technology. 'Re-creating this piece with the Adachi Institute brings a fresh interpretation to a series that has been at the forefront of technology,' Dowbak says. 'A moment to reflect not only on whether something is worth replicating but also on why it should be.' Like all traditional crafts in Japan, ukiyo-e is in decline. There is decreasing demand in the contemporary market, production costs are high and materials used to make washi paper, which are indigenous to certain regions, are becoming endangered. That's why this exhibition, and the Adachi Institute's efforts to train young artisans and inspire artists, is so vital to the craft's survival. 'People should learn that craftsmanship is not achieved in one day,' says Nanjo. 'Traditional craftsmanship should be preserved and protected by creating a new ecosystem, making new products to develop a new market. With this exhibition I hope that more people will be interested in existing crafts and think about how to pass them on to the next generation.' Back at the Adachi Institute, the printers are quietly cleaning their tools, finishing the last of their morning tasks before lunch. In this small but sunny tatami room, it's hard not to feel the weight of tradition. With each gesture, material and pigment, these young artisans are carrying handed-down techniques into the present, shifting and adapting them to inspire future generations of craftspeople, artists and art aficionados to come. 'Ukiyo-e in Play' is currently on view through June 15 at the Tokyo National Museum in Taito Ward. For more information, visit
Perth Now
01-05-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
Last-minute election arts boost with gallery pledge
Labor has made its biggest arts pledge days out from the election during a campaign in which the sector has barely rated a mention. The government, which polls tip will return to power after Saturday's vote, committed $35 million for The Fox: NGV Contemporary at the National Gallery of Victoria. In 2022, logistics magnates Lindsay and Paula Fox donated a record $100 million to build a third NGV gallery, which will be named after them. The public gallery is part of the $1.7 billion Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation project, billed as Australia's largest ever cultural infrastructure build. The Fox will include 13,000sq m of display space for artworks, as well as a rooftop terrace and sculpture garden. Once constructed, The Fox: NGV Contemporary will be the nation's biggest gallery dedicated to contemporary art, although it is still some years away. The construction contract for the project was awarded to Lend Lease in March and the gallery is due to open in 2028. "We know how important arts and culture is to our community and this funding will showcase Melbourne's talent to the world," Arts Minister Tony Burke said on Thursday. The NGV is Australia's most-visited public art museum with 2.8 million visitors in 2024. Its most recent blockbuster show, Yayoi Kusama, saw a record-breaking 570,537 visitors over four months, making it the most popular ticketed exhibition the NGV has ever staged. The expansion project is expected to attract an additional one or two million visitors annually, adding $2.3 billion to the state's economy. The Fox gallery will be built on the former site of the Carlton & United Breweries building in Southbank Boulevard, behind NGV International on St Kilda Rd.
