from Tokyo

Hiroshi Senju Museum Karuizawa

2011-10-08T21:47:00.000+09:00

西沢立衛設計の軽井沢千住博美術館。2011年10月10日開館。
Senju Hiroshi Museum Karuizawa designed by architect Ryue Nishizawa opens on October 10, 2010

ところどころに見える丸いスペースは中庭。ガラスで囲まれていて、自然光が入ります。
The circler space is courtyard surrounded by glass. Sun light penetrates into inside of the museum.

床は地形に沿って傾いています。入り口から奥に向かって低くなっているので、そのまま自然に奥まで誘い込まれるような感じ。けっこう傾斜があります。
The floor is sloping down from the entrance to the rear so you can walk to the depth of the building unconsciously. The slope is steep than I expected.

外からは、庭の木々に隠されて建物がほとんど見えません。
The trees and grasses hide the building.

ガラスの外壁を含め、ほとんどが自由曲線で設計されているとのこと。
Most of the line of this building including the glass facade is drawn by freehand curve.

庭（カラーリーフガーデンと名付けられてます）や中庭には、その名の通りさまざまな色や形の葉をつける植物が。
There are many kind of trees with beautiful leaves in the courtyard and the garden named "The Color Leaf Garden".

ほんのちょっと位置を変えるだけで、また光の角度が変わるだけで、まったく違う見え方をするので、いつまでも飽きません。気づいたら100枚ぐらい写真撮ってました。
The landscape changes dramatically with slight change of the angle or the light, you would never be bored. I took over 100 photos while staying just 1 or 2 hours.

Street furniture by Mt. Fuji Architects Studio + Arts Towada

2010-05-14T11:22:00.003+09:00

マウントフジアーキテクツスタジオが青森県・十和田にストリートファニチャーを作りました。
桜の木の下で一休みできるベンチ。
4月にグランド・オープンした「アーツ・トワダ」の一環です。
Mt. Fuji Architects Studio made street furniture in Towada, Aomori prefecture.
You can rest under the cherry blossom.
It is the part of Arts Towada, which completed on April.

タイトルは「イン・フレークス」。

表面が鏡面ステンレス仕上げになっていて、空や木を映します。

Title is "In Flakes".

The seat is mirror like stainless steel, reflects the sky and the tree.

雨上がりの景色もなかなかです。

雪景色も悪くなさそう。

The sight after the rain is not so bad.

Snow scape would be also interesting.

ベンチは板の一辺を地面に埋め込んで固定されています。

これを二つ以上組み合わせることで、自立するのだそう。

Only one side of the stainless steel plate is fixed under the ground, so it can't be stand without the support of other pieces.

アーツ・トワダでは他にもアーティストがヘンなオブジェを作ってます。
上はドイツのアーティスト・グループ、インゲス・イデーの「アンノウン・マス」。
男子トイレをのぞいているおばけです。
In Arts Towada, some other artists have made funny objects.
Above is "Unknown Mass" by Inges Idee, German artists group.
The ghost peeps man's room.

オーストリアの作家、エルヴィン・ヴルムの「ファット・ハウス」「ファット・カー」。

実物大の家と車が肥満してます。

家の中では、その家がしゃべるという映像が流れてます。

"Fat House" & "Fat Car" by Austrian artist Erwin Wurm.

Life size fat house and car.

Inside the house, you can see the movie this fat house speaking.

草間彌生「愛はとこしえ十和田でうたう」。

北国の空にカラフルな色彩がまぶしいです。

"Love Forever, Singing in Towada" by Yayoi Kusama.

The bright colors are reflecting under the north sky.

アーツ・トワダ近くの十和田市現代美術館では「草間彌生　十和田でうたう」展を開催中（8/29まで）。

こちらは近くの商店街の空き店舗を利用した展示。

中では60年代のニューヨークでの、貴重な写真が展示されてます。

Yayoi Kusama's solo exhibition "Singing in Towada" is held in Towada Art Center, near Arts Towada (till August 29).

This photo is the exhibition in the vacant shop near Towada Art Center.

The photos of Kusama in 60's NY is showed inside. It is a good chance to see them.

近くの商店街にも草間の水玉が浸食してるのが笑えます。

The red dot of Kusama invates the shopping street near Arts Towada. Funny, isn't it?

アーツ・トワダ

十和田市現代美術館

Small house by Hiroyuki Shinozaki

2010-05-11T01:11:00.008+09:00

篠崎弘之さんが設計した小さな住宅が完成しました。
彼は伊東豊雄さんの事務所出身。これが初作品になります。
A small house by Hiroyuki Shinozaki, who had worked for Toyo Ito.
It is his first work completed.

上の写真の中央にあるのがドア。のぞくとこんな感じです。

The sight from the entrance which is in center of above photo.

奥に置かれた椅子は福岡の広松木工というメーカーのものだそう。

http://www.hiromatsu.org/

木が好き、という施主が自分で選んでます。

The chair is by HIROMATSU in Fukuoka.

The client chooses this, he says he likes the wood.

1枚目の写真の右手にあるデッキから見るとダイニングキッチンがあります。

Dining kitchen is seen from the deck (the right of the 1st photo).

ダイニングキッチンの左手奥にある階段を上ったところにある踊り場のようなスペース。

キッチンを見下ろせます。

ここの座椅子も広松木工のもの。

The steps at the kitchen leads to this small space.

You can see down the kitchen.

This small chair is also by HIROMATSU.

さらに階段を上るとロフトのある最上階に。

ロフトとその奥が子供たち3人の部屋に、手前は主寝室になります。

The upper space of the steps is with the loft.

The room seen behind and the loft are for 3 children.

Master bedroom is another side.

二人で使う子供部屋にも広松木工の椅子が。

Another HIROMATSU is in the childrens' room.

屋上は小さなテラスになっています。

Roof top is small terrace.

特別にデザインしたドアノブ。施主のお気に入りだそう。

この住宅、平面はほぼ正方形のシンプルな外形ですが、それほど大きくない家に夫婦と子供3人ということで、内部はスキップフロア的な構成でわりと細かく分けています。

かといって狭苦しいということはなさそうで、施主家族の仲の良さが伺えるコンパクトでかわいい住宅でした。

The door nob is specially designed. The client really loves it.

The house itself is simple cube. The family are couple and 3 children, so the inside is divided into rather small spaces.

But it is really comfortable, rather cute. You can see warm family tie in this house.

Olafur Eliasson's Pavilion in Kanazawa

2010-05-01T22:58:00.001+09:00

今年3月、金沢21世紀美術館にできたオラファー・エリアソンのパビリオン。
Olafur Eliasson's Pavilion completed in March 2010 in 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa.

赤、青、黄色の三枚のカーブしたガラスを卍のように組み合わせた、シンプルな構成です。

後ろの白い箱がSANAA設計の美術館。

It is built with three curved, transparent glass of red, blue and yellow.

They are settled in spiral shape.

The museum designed by SANAA is seen behind of the pavilion.

内側から見るとこんな感じ。ここでは黄色と青のガラスが重なって、緑に見えます。

From inside, green colors appears with yellow and blue glass.

赤の向こうに黄色のガラスが見えて、オレンジ色に。

Red glass behind the yellow glass makes orange color.

地面の影も色つきです。

The colored shadow is casted on the ground.

美術館側から見るとこんな感じ。

このパビリオンができる直前まで、美術館ではオラファー・エリアソンの個展が開かれていました。

この個展は美術館の空間と金沢の町とに密接に関係しているので、他の美術館には巡回しない、というのがオラファーのコメントでした。

このパビリオンの円形のガラスはもしかすると、美術館内の円形の展示室や、ガラスに囲まれた中庭と関連しているのかもしれません。

まあそんな難しいことを考えなくても、中や外を歩いていく内に次々と色が変わっていくのが楽しくて、子供たちは大喜びでした。子供がおおはしゃぎするアートはいいと思います。

The view from the museum.

Olafur did his solo show at this musem just before the pavilion is built.

He says this show is deeply concerned with the architecture of the museum and composition of Kanazawa town, so he doesn't want the show to travel to other museums.

The circled glass may be related with the circle room and glass courtyard of this museum.

But you can enjoy this without such a complicated thought, and you will see the children get delighted with this. I think the art which appeals to the children is really good art.

Maison AoAo by Jun Aoki and Noe Aoki

2010-03-25T02:20:00.002+09:00

青木淳設計、青木野枝さんのアートがついた「青々荘」。

集合住宅の壁に青木野枝さんのアートがとりついてます。

Artwork by Noe Aoki is on the wall of the residence.

中庭。階段はそれぞれ住戸1戸のみにアプローチしてます。

階段の手すりは青木淳さんデザイン。ランダムに見えますが、

いくつかのパターンを組み合わせているそう。

吹き抜けの上に照明が付いています。

周囲の電線が印象的だったので、わざと電線のような意匠にしたのだそうです。

The steps in the courtyard are approaching to each rooms.

Jun Aoki designed the handrail. They seem to be random, but are made by a few patterns.

The lights are hung at the wire resembling to the electric wire.

It is not electric wire, but Aoki is inspired by the real electric wire around this house.

賃貸住戸の一つ。いかにも「おうち」な形が青木さんらしいです。

On of the rental rooms. The typical shape of the house is a kind of icon of Jun Aoki.

青木野枝さんが特別に作ってくれた「お玉かけ」。

一つだけ、斜めになっている輪にお玉をかけられるようになっています。

The ladle hunger by Noe Aoki.

You can set the ladle at one tilted ring.

コンクリートの壁に、窓の大きさに合わせてレンガが貼られています。
機能上の要請で窓の大きさを変えなくてはならなかったのですが、
グラフィックな処理で同じ大きさのパターンを連続させたかった、とのこと。
The brick are on the concrete wall around the window.
The size of windows are different along the use, but the architect tries to make continual pattern of the same size.

Architecture: Twing by Nagamine Architecture Office

2010-02-22T23:02:00.001+09:00

永峰綜合計画事務所設計の2戸の長屋です。

Collective housing of 2 flats.

左側の住戸にはガラスにかわいいグラフィックが。

施主である大家さんの小さいころの様子を再現したものだそう。

目隠しを兼ねてます。

There is cute graphic on the big glass window.

It shows client's memory of childhood and has the effect of putting a blind on a window.

芝生に石を散らしたアプローチもグラフィックです。

The stones laid on the green are also graphical.

窓のグラフィックを中から見るとこんな感じです。

The patterns on the window from the inside of the room.

隣の棟では、2つの棟の間に向かって窓が開けられていて、竹が見えます。

ガラスにはグラデーションのフィルムが貼られてます。
こちらはすぐ目の前にマンションがあるため、グラフィックのある窓とは別の方向に開口部を設けました。

The next room has the window towards the space between two rooms.

The bamboo is seen from the glass with the film which changes the transparency.
There is another housing is sited in front of this room, so the architect put the window at the another side of the room.

内部はスキップフロアになっています。左のテーブルは作り付け。

右はキッチンですが、驚くべきことに床と同じレベルです。

というか、床にIH調理器と流しが付けられています。これは好き嫌いが分かれるところでしょう。

キッチンの上部はロフトです。

天井は1階がやや低め、2階はロフトを入れるとかなり高めになっています。

スキップフロアでさらに高さを微調整し、限られた室内面積でさまざまな景色が見えるようになっています。

Inside of the room is constructed with the skip floor. The table at right is fixed.

At the left, you can see the sink and IH cooking heater on the floor.

Some would agree, some may not.

There is a loft upon the kitchen.

The hight of the ceiling of ground floor is rather low, and high at upper floor.

The skip floor makes different sight in the room in the limited space.

Architecture: A house by Mt. Fuji Architects Studio

2010-02-21T23:56:00.047+09:00

マウントフジアーキテクツスタジオによる住宅です。

幅2メートル弱ほどの小さな箱に、よく見るとドアがあります。

The door is on the small box of the width of just 2 meters or so.

ドアを開けて中に入ると、中庭の向こうにまた箱があります。

There is another box you can see when you enter the door.

最初の箱には2階があって、そこからも向こうの箱が見えます。

From the upper floor of the first box, you can see the another box too.

中庭から次の箱を見上げたところ。ここが母屋になります。反対側のガラスから隣の木が見えます。

View from the garden. It is the main building. The tree of the next site is seen through the glass.

母屋の1階には寝室とバスルームがあります。
The bedroom and bathroom are in the ground floor of the main building.

2階にはキッチンとリビング。幅30ミリの積層材が450ミリ間隔で並んだ棚が構造体になっています。
構造体としては極細です。
Kitchen and living/dining is on the upper floor. The plywood of 30 millimeter width is standing with 450 millimeters pitch, will be the shelf and the structure of this house. It is really thin as the structural material.

母屋から小さな箱を見たところ。
The small box seen from the main box.

この住宅は旗竿敷地に建てられています。

普通なら「竿」はガレージにするところですが、施主は車を使わないため、離れを建てることになりました。離れの1階は土間になります。2階は書斎です。

母屋と離れの間にある中庭部分は、そこだけ敷地がさらに狭くなっているため、母屋と離れをつないでも廊下ぐらいにしか使えない。それなら庭にしたほうが、より豊かな空間体験ができるのでは、とこのプランになったそうです。

This house is so called flagpole site, which is combination of narrow space attached to the road and small rectangular space on the other side.

The narrow space is usually used as the garage, but the client of this house doesn't have the car, so they build the main box on the rectangular space and an annex on the narrow space.

They enter the ground floor of the annex with the shoe on, treat this floor as half outside. The upper floor of the annex is the study.

The garden is sited narrower space of the annex, so if the main box and annex is connected, this space would be just corridor. So the architect and client decided to make a small garden to enjoy more rich daily life with this garden.

Exhibition: Dan Graham

2010-02-19T23:52:00.001+09:00

ダン・グラハムがタカ・イシイギャラリーで個展を開催します。
2月20日〜3月27日。オープニングにご本人もいらっしゃいました。
Dan Graham does his solo show at Taka Ishii Gallery from February 20 to March 27.
The opening reception is held with the artitst.

展示は写真、ビデオ、模型、それにガラスのパビリオンがギャラリー内に登場してます。
The photos, video, models, and real pavilion of the glass are shown in the gallery.

子供にも大人気。
It appeals to the child, too.

木の格子にカーブしたガラスを組み合わせてます。

ダン・グラハムの作品ではガラスの透過や反射が重要な要素になりますが、

ギャラリースタッフによると、彼はその効果を厳密に計算しているわけではなく、

ときどき、できあがってから「何か違うなー」と首をひねっていることもあるのだそう。
そういった予期しない現象も含めて彼の作品なんでしょう、きっと。

The curved glass is combined with the wood lattice.

The reflection and penetrating is important in Graham's work, but according to the staff of the gallery, Graham doesn't calculate all the effect and sometimes wonders at the result.
I guess these unexpected phenomenon is the part of his artwork.

Architecture: Church School by Takeshi Hosaka

2010-02-15T11:49:00.001+09:00

保坂猛さんの「本郷台キリスト教会チャーチスクール」が竣工しました。
森や山がすぐ近くにある住宅地に建てられてます。
Located in the residential area near the small mountain and woods.

2階建ての箱を並べたような構成です。

Small 2 stories boxes are connected.

箱はフレームのみ。壁がなく、向こうまで透けて見えます。

Boxes are constructed with only frames. There is no wall, you can see the opposite side though the glass.

2階の中からの眺め。ところどころに四角い中庭があります。

この建物は木造のスケール感を活かしつつ、筋交いや壁のない透明な建物を目指したとのこと。

構造はアラップジャパンが担当。木造と鉄骨が併用されています。

中庭の周囲を鉄骨で囲み、木で作ったフレームと組み合わせることで、透明かつかろやかな空間が生まれています。

The view from the upper floor. There is some rectangular courtyard.

This building has comfortable scale of wood, but it has transparency with no braced frame or the wall.

The structural engineering is by Arup Japan, they take wood and steel structure.

The courtyard is surrounded by the steel frame, which support wood frame, produce the transparent and light space.

Exhibition: Installation of Hiyoshizaka Jimusho

2010-02-10T02:14:00.000+09:00

寳神尚史＋日吉坂事務所の展覧会。プリズミックギャラリーで、3月21日まで。
The exhibition of Hisashi Hojin + Hiyoshizaka Jimusho at Prismic gallery till March 21.

薄い皮膜が天井から下りてきます。一部に植物のようなパターンが。

皮膜はほとんど不透明ですが、わずかに透けて、光がぼんやりと通ります。

皮膜は、上から見ると生長する植物のような模様になっているのだそう。

ギャラリーの向かいにある木々からのインスピレーションとのことでした。

昼間はその木が映り、夜は照明が透過して、昼と夜とでは表情が変わります。

ここは菊地宏さんがデザインした空間ですが、床の赤や天井近くの壁の黒などが反射し、歪むようなインスタレーションになりました。

Thin film is hanging from the ceiling. Part of it has a pattern like a plant.

It is almost opaque, but partially transparent.

This film is set in the pattern of the plant when it is seen from the ceiling.

The architect gets inspiration from the wood seen out of the window.

The film reflects the woods in the daytime, and light penetrates at the night.

The gallery space is designed by Hiroshi Kikuchi, the film reflects distorts the red floor and the black part of the wall.

Architecture: Hanegi G-House by Makoto Yamaguchi

2010-02-10T01:48:00.002+09:00

山口誠さんの「Hanegi G-House」。
築約25年、木造2階建て住宅をリノベーションして、2戸の賃貸住宅にしました。
2 stories wooden house built about 25 years ago, converted into 2 rental houses.

外観はよくある普通の住宅です。
There is no specific point in exterior.

住戸は1階と2階に一つずつ。階段は2階の住戸へのもの。
1階の玄関は右側の壁の一部と化してます。
この他にも、1階のテラスに面した窓は開かず、脇の壁についた扉から
出入りする、壁につけた障子は開けない、など、開口部の扱いは独特です。
1 rental room is on the ground floor, and others is on the upper floor.
The door of the room of ground floor is hidden in the wall seen the right of the stairs.
The window of the terrace is fixed, the door of the another side is connected to the terrace, the shoji screen on the wall doesn't open. These doors and windows are really interesting.

柱に天井板などがはまっていたところにはあえて新しい材を充填。

新旧の対比を明快にしたいということだそうです。

The new wood is filled into old columns to make clear contrast of old and new.

細長い部屋はガラスで仕切られてます。
床はデッキとタイルですが、二つの素材の切り替えはガラスとは一致せず、
徐々に領域が切り替わっていくような感じです。
The long rectangular room is divided by glass.
The floor is wood deck and the tile, but the glass is not on the border of this two materials. So the quality of the space is changing gradually.

バスルームの真ん中に柱がいます。

構造上、柱・梁は切らず、家の周囲に構造体を巻いて耐震補強をしてます。

Some of the columns are in the center of the bathroom.

The architect didn't cut the columns and beams, and winded the structural material around the house.

2階は梁と屋根裏が見えます。床は木です。

全体に新旧のかみ合い方が独特で、とても面白いリノベーションでした。

You can see the beam and the shape of the roof at the upper floor.

The way of mixing old and new is quite unique.

Architecture: House in Minamikase by Naya Architects

2010-02-04T02:34:00.000+09:00

納谷建築設計事務所の「南加瀬の住宅」。

敷地10坪、夫婦＋子供4人の住宅です。
The site is only 33 sqm, for family of 6.

住宅密集地なので、階段を上からの光を通します。
As it is in the crouded area, steps are designed to penetrate the light from above.

とにかく小さいのでトイレも外に出して、バルコニーの途中に設置。
前も後ろもガラスです。もちろん使用時にはカーテンを閉めますが。
To get the most of limited space, lavatory is on the small balcony.
Both front and back are glass. of course you can hang the curtain.

3階には小さな机があって、階段がついてます。
Small desk with the stairs on the 3rd floor.

階段を上るとロフトが。高さ1．5メートルほどでしょうか。
The upper floor is the loft, of about 1.5 meters high.

ロフトの奥にはこんなベンチが。はしごはここに登るためのもの。
実際に小さな住宅ですが、上下に抜けのいい空間が作ってあって、
狭さを感じさせない工夫がされてます。
The bench at one side of loft. The ladder is to up to this.
It is really tiny house, but architects make the space open vertically,
so you don't feel its tininess.

Architecture: Housing by Seiji Saruwatari

2010-02-01T20:55:00.015+09:00

建築：猿渡清二さんの集合住宅

A collective housing by architect Seiji Saruwatari.

2層のメゾネットが４つ、連結されてます。

4 maisonette are connected.

1階の窓を開け放すと全開できます。
住宅密集地に建てられていますが、この前の道路との間に門扉をつけるので、全開でも外からは見えません。
Ground floor can be fully open when glass doors are open.
It is built in clouded area, there are many tiny houses around.
But the gate will be built between this floor and the path in front of the houses, so you don't need to care about your privacy.

2階の窓は床と同じレベルに付けられています。
Upper floor has window attached on the floor.

4つのうち2部屋には、屋上にバスタブがあります！

さらに1戸は水庭つきです。

Two of them have terrace bath on the roof, and one has the water garden on the ground.

模型を見ると構成がよくわかると思います。
この家はとにかくプロポーションがきれい。ミース・ファン・デル・ローエのバルセロナ・パビリオンを彷彿させます（建築家も好きだと言っていました）。
が、実はこの家、町家などの日本家屋から援用も多いようで、スライド式の窓を開けると全開になる1階などはその一例だとのこと。
2階の床すれすれの窓も雪見障子のようでした。
You can see the composition by this model.
This house has really beautiful, geometrical proportion like Barcelona Pavilion by Mies van der Rohe.
Mr. Saruwatari admires Mies, but he takes something from Japanese traditional houses (like Machiya ) into this.
Fully opened ground floor is one example.
Or small window by the floor is like Japanese Yukimi Shoji (Shoji screen which has the glass at half bottom so you can see the snow on the ground from the glass).

Exhibition: Everyday life Another space

2010-01-24T02:03:00.005+09:00

The group show of 6 Japanese artists held in Yokohama. (Sorry, already ended)
exhibition web

Hironari Kubota, Berlin based artist shows "Berlin Hitoritabi".

The car Travant, produced in ex Eastern Germany, rotates in the air in high speed with Enka song (Japanese old style pops, especially popular among the elder people).

The motor used to rotate Travant is from the car itself.

The car is taken its innards and rotating by its power.

It is bizarre, isn't it?

The artist was in typical Japanese Yakuza style. He wears usually Fundoshi, Japanese male loincloth, but gallery rejects because of his tattoo on the back.

Tattoo itself is simple black square, Yakuza fashion seems to be more violent. It is also funny.

Kubota's web

Ramon Todo's stone work is also interesting.
He takes stone or piece of concrete or blocks, insert the glass in it.
The stone or piece of block are come from the historical spot, like Berlin's wall or Guernica, so it is deeply related with the history.
Todo's web

Keiko Sato's installation is awful.
She makes beautiful garden with the tree stumps, flowers and batteries, broken cups, plates and rice.
Sato's work

Most ironical work is by Taiyo Kimura.

He asks the viewer to write his / her dream, and put this paper into the box.

The viewers find the box is shredder and the paper they wrote their dream are torn into pieces. Too awful!

Exhibition: Element / Cecil Balmond

2010-01-18T23:49:00.002+09:00

Structural engineer Cecil Balmond's solo exhibition travels to Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery.

Show starts "The forest of banner", introduce Balmond's idea concerning nature and how he get his idea and form form the nature, then viewers are lead to "The secret temple", which shows the secret of numbers.

This photo is "The garden". The graphic of the floor is made by prime numbers and the gap of them.

Structure of "x" shaped plate is "H_edge", which stands only by these plates and chain.

The black and white rocks are made by tetrahedron.

Balmond says every forms are made of tetrahedron.

He also says that he found it was like a Japanese garden after installation is completed.

The show is till March 22.

Architecture: House in Kujukuri by Kimihiko Okada

2010-01-11T11:51:00.000+09:00

Rising architect Kimihiko Okada's first work "House in Kujukuri" has completed.

It is for a man who retires his work and starts to live near the sea.

(5 minutes by car)

The fence of this house is shaped spiral and continues to the wall of the house, it is also spiral.

The gate, garden, entrance, living room, kitchen, bed room, they are connected in spiral shape.

The hight of fence and wall is getting higher to the center, the roof is shaped in 3 dimensional curve.

The client will grow the lawn or vegetable in the garden.
Really lovely house.

Exhibition: William Kentridge

2010-01-07T11:44:00.000+09:00

William Kentridge (born 1955 in South Africa) doing solo show in Tokyo.

Most of his works are animation with hand written drawing, cut out papers, objects.

He shoots one frame, then erase the drawing and write new one (or move things slightly), then take new one frame. It takes very long time to complete one piece.

Sample Movie

Some of his works are serious, treating political issue. It would be natural regarding his birthplace.

But some are more humorous like artist himself bothered by the tools he use.

(For example, he has to chase the cup of coffee which running on the table)

There is some erotic scene is inserted in political context.

It makes me aware that the love and hate drive the history by making war, economical conflict, and so on.

The show is to be February 14.

Museum web

Book: The Ascent of Money / Niall Ferguson

2010-01-06T00:54:00.003+09:00

Subtitle : A Financial History of the World.

Detail in Amazon

The author Niall Ferguson sometimes appears CNN podcast program of Fareed Zakaria, editor of Newsweek.

The hardback edition is published on November 2008, just after Lehman Shock.

Ferguson was talking about the future of American economy in Fareed's podcast at that time, being asked by Fareed " Is it like the lost decade in Japan?", replied " This is a better scenario".

Fareed is rather optimistic. He says American economy recovers already in resent interview.

I'm not sure which is right, but I feel we have to suffer this situation a little more.

Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre

2010-01-05T14:38:00.000+09:00

by Toyo Ito, opened in 2004 in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture.

Big steps take viewers to main hall in the 2nd floor.

Small windows of rounded shape introduce the light inside.

I guess the light come out to the town at the night.

I think the benches are also done by Toyo Ito.

The color of the carpet becomes lighter under the bench.

Book: Seven Days in the Art World / Sarah Thornton

2010-01-03T12:18:00.002+09:00

The book I just have read.

Detail

Inspiring report on what happens behind the art exhibition, galleries, museums, biennial exhibition, especially featuring money game in the art world.

Rei Naito's exhibition

2010-01-02T14:19:00.000+09:00

it maybe seems to be little bit strange exhibition.

Art pieces are settled outside and inside, some are on the floor, on the handrail of the terrace.

Very thin ribbons are flattering in the air of courtyard, chained small beads hanging from the ceiling is moving slightly by the wind. (These works are shown outside of the building)

In the room, one thing most unique is viewers can walk in the showcase (see the web below).

Museum's web

The artist says the glass of the showcase refers the boundary of "Another world".

Viewers can walk through two worlds.

I specially love these small, ephemeral objects standing in the dark light, or in the air like thin ribbon flattering in the sky.

No Man's Land

2010-01-02T02:13:00.000+09:00

Before the building of French Embassy in Japan will be demolished, artistic installation is held.
A Renault car is painted by an artist.

I miss this lovely relief which will be lost.

A big wall painting is seen from the courtyard.

The artwork titled "Homage to the office" by Alexa Daerr.

Everything is painted in silver except colorful files on the shelf.

Claude Leveque's work at the staircase.

Chinese letter means "a nosebleed". I don't know why the artist choose this word.

Till January 31, 2009 at old French Embassy in Hiroo.

http://www.ambafrance-jp.org/spip.php?article3720

2009-07-12T23:15:00.000+09:00

Things around art and architecture.
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