ARTIFACTS

Since the late 19th century, Japanese art has been schizophrenically split into yoga (Western-style) and nihonga (Japanese-style). The latter arose as a self-conscious response to the inroads of the former. Nevertheless, when nihonga took up the challenge of Western art, it was unable to avoid borrowing some of its ideas, most notably the romantically inflated concept of the “divine” artist. But instead of Michelangelo or van Gogh, nihonga found its role models in the elite artist/craftsmen of the Rinpa school. The Yamatane Museum of Art’s exhibition What Did Nihonga Learn from Rinpa? uses 50 mainly large works to look at echoes of the school in the works of 20th-century nihonga artists. Particularly worth seeing is Kaii Higashiyama’s vast seascape Rising Tide and Gyoshu Hayami’s Falling Camellias. Through Dec 25. See exhibition listings (Ginza/ Kyobashi/ Tokyo) for details. CBL Giveaway! Metropolis is offering readers ten free tickets to “What Did Nihonga Learn from Rinpa?” For your chance to see this excellent exhibition, email the following information by Wednesday, December 17, to editor@metropolis.co.jp: 1. Name; 2. Address; 3. Age; 4. Home country; 5. Last exhibition you visited Include the text “Nihonga” in the subject line. Winners will be selected at random.

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561-2: Fluxus: Art Into Life 560: Christopher Wool 559: Pop Art and co. 558: Art & Money 557: Art of the Japanese Postcard 556: Yayoi Kusama: Eternity-Modernity 555: Ihei Kimura: The Man with the Camera 554: Wolfgang Tillmans: Freischwimmer 553: Emerging Generation 552: Larry Clark: Punk Picasso 551: Cool & Light: New Spirit in Craft Making 550: Angelo Mangiarotti: Un Percorso 549: Endo Akiko: Poetry of an Everlasting Life 548: Paris and Klein 547: Yoshitomo Nara: From the Depth of My Drawer 546: Colors: Viktor & Rolf & KCI 545: Micro Presence & Macro Presence 544: Non-sect Radical: Contemporary Photography III 543: Pastoral and Flowers in Modern French Painting 542: Collapsing Histories: time, space and memory 541: Supernatural Artificial 540: Jiro Takamatsu: Universe of His Thought 539: The World Press Photo 2004 538: I Dreamt of Flying: Noguchi Rika 537: Man Ray Exhibition: The Gift of His Vision 536: Why Not Live For Art? 535: Brazil: Body Nostalgia 534: n_ext: New Generation of Media Artists 533: Empty Garden II 532: Street Art in Africa: A Color Commotion 531: Modern Crafts and Design from the Museum Collection: Art Deco 530: And or Versus? : Adventures in Images 529: Modern Means 528: Remaking Modernism in Japan 1900-2000 527: Treasures of a Sacred Mountain: Kukai and Mount Koya 526: Jan Jansen: Master of Shoe Design 525: Yasuo Kuniyoshi: Between Two Worlds 524: Beyond The Border: Seung H-Sang and Yung Ho Chnag 523: Testimony of Life: Ancient Roman Portraits from the Vatican Museums 522: I Love Art 521: "My" Siberia and "My" Earth: The 30 Year Memorial Retrospective Exhibition of Yasuo Kazuki 520: Time of My Life: Art with a Youthful Spirit 519: Joy of Life: Two Photographers from Africa-JD 'Okhai Ojeikere and Malick Sidibé 518: Roppongi Crossing: New Visions in Japanese Art 2004+Kusamatrix 517: Exposition Musee Marmottan Monet 516: Treasures of a Great Zen Temple: Nanzenji 515: Johannes Itten: Ways to Art 514: Meiji Kaigakan (Memorial Picture Gallery) 513: Kaii Higashiyama: One Man's Path 512: Future Cinema: The Cinematic Imaginary after Film 511: Yasujiro Ozu: Japanese Film Master 509/10: End-of-the-year review and 2004 preview 508: Surface tension 507: Jean Nouvel 506: Makoto Aida: My Ken Ten 505: Gaudi: Exploring Form 504: Ino Tadataka and Old Maps of Japan/Fusuma Paintings of Jukoin 503: Naoshima Contemporary Art Museum 502: Happiness: A Survival Guide for Art and Life 501: Today's Man 500: Taro Shinoda: Helicopter 1 Issues 499- Issues 449- Issues 399-

By John McGee

End-of-the-year review and 2004 preview

Miraculous Avalokitesvara, Heian Period, Ryoko-in, National Treasure

J. D. 'Okhai Ojeikere, Onile Gogoro or Akaba, 1975

Other positive signs for Tokyo's art scene were several shows that visited less familiar territory. "Neresi, Burasi: Turkish Art Today" at the Museum of Modern Art, Saitama, introduced artists from around the Bosporus. "Under Construction" at Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery and the Japan Foundation Forum gave insight into the contemporary art scenes of China, India, Indonesia, Korea, the Philippines and Thailand. And "Girls Don't Cry" at Parco Museum had a slightly feminist edge, rare in Tokyo.

Next year's art schedule may not offer the fundamental changes of 2003, but there's plenty to look forward to. In January, Impressionism lovers can drool over work by Monet, Renoir and Caillebotte at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum's "The Marmottan Monet Museum Exhibition."

In February, the Mori Art Museum brings us "Roppongi Crossing," the first in a triennial series showcasing emerging artists working in Japan. Also in February, the Hara Museum will present "Photography from Africa," featuring Nigerian hairstyle photos by JD 'Okhai Ojeikere and street life documents by Malick Sidibé.

In April, the Tokyo National Museum will continue its fine programming (this year's "Kamakura: the Art of Zen Buddhism," "Fusuma of Juko-in" and "Old Maps of Japan" shows were outstanding) with "Treasures of a Sacred Mountain: Kukai and Mt Koya," an exhibition of National Treasures and other work usually hidden away in the mountain-top Buddhist temples of Wakayama Prefecture.

Mika Kato, Soda, oil on canvas on board, 2000, 196x196cm

Unfortunately the second installment of the Yokohama Triennale, slated to open in summer 2004, has been postponed due to location problems (not funding; it'll likely reappear in 2005). But this seems an isolated setback. All signs indicate that Tokyo has at last started to hit its stride.

"The Marmottan Monet Museum Exhibition," at Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Jan 27-Mar 28.

"Treasures of a Sacred Mountain: Kukai and Mt Koya," at Tokyo National Museum, Apr 6-May 16. "Photography from Africa: JD 'Okhai Ojeikere and Malick Sidibé" at Hara Museum of Art, Feb 11-Apr 4.

"Roppongi Crossing: New Visions in Japanese Art 2004" at Mori Art Museum, Feb 7-Apr 11.
See exhibition listings for museum details.

Photo Credit: 1) Courtesy Tokyo National Museum; 2) © J. D. 'Okhai Ojeikere, courtesy C.A.A.C.-The Pigozzi Collection, Geneva; 3) © 2003 Mika Kato, courtesy Tomio Koyama Gallery