ART TOWER MITO [HIBINO EXPO 2005] Katsuhiko Hibino Solo Exhibition

Contemporary Art Center/Gallery, ART TOWER MITO Mito Arts Foundation 1-6-8 Goken-cho, Mito-shi, Ibaraki-ken, 310-0063 Japan How to get to ART TOWER MITO Mail to: webstaff@arttowermito.or.jp Phone: +81-(0)29-227-8111 / Facsimile: +81-(0)29-227-8130

Photo: Erica 2005

YESTERDAY TODAY TOMORROW PROJECT
"Are you receiving everyday images? Are you transmitting everyday images?"

The sun rises and sets as the earth rotates. Morning will always come, as does night. We have evolved amongst constantly repeating light. The "everyday" that we witness in such daily light, while seemingly the same, can never be the same.

Yesterday and today are similar, but slightly different. That which is different is the part representing the images we have created. Today and tomorrow are similar, but slightly different. That which is different is the part representing the images we hold.

The image of yesterday, nurtured on a daily basis, is received today - that is an action where a single day can only happen in a single day. The image of today, nurtured on a daily basis, is transmitted tomorrow - that is an action where a single day can only happen in a single day.

As we receive and then transmit the images nurtured through our daily lives on a daily basis - yesterday, today, tomorrow - we join the ranks of travelers through time.

By Katsuhiko Hibino

HIBINO EXPO 2005 - Katsuhiko Hibino's One-man Exposition

Aug. 6 (Sat) to Sept.19 (Mon, national holiday), 2005 Closed on Mondays

Just as its name suggests, the "HIBINO EXPO2005 - Katsuhiko Hibino's One-man Exposition," to be held in the summer of 2005, is a solo exhibition of the works of the artist, Katsuhiko Hibino. Also, the exhibition is inherently structured around the two major axes of "solo" and "exhibition." Of course, the "solo" element refers to Katsuhiko Hibino himself: displayed are works that express and represent the skills and sensibility of a single artist. The other element, "exposition," expresses the bustle and festivity characteristic of the participation and cooperation of many people and the encounters among them.

The upcoming exhibition at Art Tower Mito (ATM) is not meant merely for the appreciation and experiencing of works that have already been completed, but is an "exchange plaza" allowing people to meet one another as they gather and participate in the process of producing the works on display. The overriding theme of the whole exhibition is "YESTERDAY TODAY TOMORROW." Focus has been placed on the images and sensibilities that emerge from the slight changes in our casual everyday lives and the accumulation of daily experiences.

The preparations for the exhibition began in Mito in May. After the exhibition opens in August, moreover, new elements will be added incrementally, day in and day out. In other words, the exhibition this time is really better described as a coalescence or merger between an exhibition and a workshop, built upon the slight changes that happen in our lives everyday. The artwork that is most symbolic of such daily changes is the arrangement of 300 morning glories along the second-floor corridor terrace along the ATM Plaza.

The exhibition inside the gallery, then, is composed of four major types of artwork: (1) the seven "HANDS ON" pieces, created with the help of ordinary participants like you and me, (2) a new installation made out of cardboard, arising out of the dialogue with the space of ATM, (3) a space that gives viewers first-hand experience of "feeble beauty," and (4) both old and new works created by Katsuhiko Hibino himself.

Official Web Site for HIBINO EXPO2005: http://www.hibino-expo.jp/

-- Profile -- Katsuhiko Hibino

Born in 1958 in Gifu City (Gifu Prefecture, east of Kyoto), Hibino completed the graduate course at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. While still attending that university, he created works of art making use of cardboard boxes, and garnered immediate attention. Thereafter, he has been involved in a wide variety of creative activities, having put on solo exhibitions and participated in group exhibitions both in Japan and abroad, as well as creating stage art, public art, and so forth. Recently, he has organized a series of workshops in local communities with the involvement of local citizens, taking advantage of the unique characteristics of each place. Currently, Hibino is associate professor of expression, advanced arts, at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music.

1986 Participates in Sydney Biennale (Australia)
1995 Participates in Venice Biennale (Italy)
2002 Submits work to the exhibition, "Twelve Japanese Artists from the Venice Biennale 1952-2001: From Taikan to Hibino" (Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito)
2003 "Art Festival of the Earth: Echigo-tsumari." Establishes "Cultural Business Division, Day-after-tomorrow Newspaper" at the Art Triennale 2003 in Niigata, and continues operations today. Puts on "Mito Branch, Day-after-tomorrow Newspaper" Workshop (Contemporary Art Center, ATM)
2005 Designs ceramic monument, "Tensuizara ⁿ (nth power)" at the Seto Venue of the Aichi Exposition (Aichi Prefecture), and is responsible for spatial production "Creative Japan" (May 26 to June 5) at same exposition.

Exhibition Data

Name: HIBINO EXPO2005 - One-man Exposition by Katsuhiko Hibino
Dates: Aug. 6 (Sat) to Sept.19 (Mon, national holiday), 2005
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (no entry after 5:30 p.m.)
Closed: Mondays (except for national holidays)
Venue: Contemporary Art Gallery, Art Tower Mito + ATM Plaza + Central Building
Entrance fees: ¥800 (General), ¥600 (advance-purchase tickets, groups of 20 or more)
Free admission: Junior high school students and younger, senior citizens aged 65 or older, and disabled persons with proper certification
Yearly pass: ¥2,500 (Adult Pass for people 20 years and older), ¥1,000 (H.T.P.)

Organizer: Mito Arts Foundation
Curator: Tsukasa Mori (curator, Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito)

Layout of Exhibition (within Contemporary Art Gallery)

Room 1
"Hand Habits" Artworks

Seven artworks produced from cardboard, etc., employing the "hand habits" of ordinary participants, who have been directed by Katsuhiko Hibino.

Hibino's conceptions of the artworks, as well as the directions for producing it, are related verbally to the participants. For example, in order to express the "square tear," he will tell them, "Let's make a solid figure with a diameter of 7cm." The participants will follow those directions in their own fashion, and judging from their individual responses to his directions, Hibino will alter them accordingly, thereby resulting in a cooperatively-built artwork. Altogether seven such artworks will be produced, including a "tasty-looking tree," a "beetle on the carpet," and a "fancy vehicle."

Production period: May to July
Location: Tosui Bldg., 8F (formerly the Uni Bldg.)

Note: We need Habit Mates! See information below.

Images of "Hand Habits" drowings by Katsuhiko Hibino 2005

Room 2 BEYOND THE BEYOND
Sandbox artwork

Beyond the Beyond: Dig a hole to imagine what lies beyond the beyond

"If you keep on digging this hole, you'll reach the other side of the world." That's something you may have heard when you were a child. But that shows how even just a simple hole, around 30cm in diameter, can inspire the imagination to take a trip to the opposite side of the world. This hands-on artwork inspires the playful spirit and imagination we all used to have when playing in a sandbox.

Drawing image by Katsuhiko Hibino 2005

Room 3 BEYOND THE BEYOND
	Beyond the Beyond: Climb high to see what lies beyond the beyond Pyramid made from a collection of cardboard boxes. As if they were a hugely enlarged version of building blocks, some 5,000 cardboard boxes - each 30cm square - are stacked to make a tower around 10m high. Visitors can view the sky from inside the tower

Room 4 BEYOND THE BEYOND

Beyond the Beyond: Connect individually to transmit beyond the beyond

"Transmit" artwork composed of connected hand-blown glass balls. This work consists of around 30 round glass balls - each measuring approx. 40cm in diameter - strung in a row. Incorporating the idea of words (voice), the balls represent the spirit of language, while the glass conveys the substance of transparency. Two visitors can approach both sides of the glass balls in this artwork and carry on conversations with each other.

Image: Glass balls by Katsuhiko Hibino 2005

Room 5 New artworks utilizing cardboard, etc.
	Photo: Katsuhiko Hibino creating

Room 6 Representative early works of Katsuhiko Hibino from the 1980s
	"Soccer Stadium" (1982) "S.S. New York" (1983) "Super Present" (1983) "Hibino Theater" (1984) etc.

Room 7
	Visual images will be broadcast from the Day-before-yesterday TV station and the yacht "Erica," as well as other moving-image artworks and documentary films. Broadcasts will be made from Mito, Tokyo, Niigata, Southern Pacific, and Truk Island in Micronesia in the Northern Pacific. Photo: Erica 2005

Room 8 Day-after-tomorrow Newspaper Co.

A branch office set up within the ATM Gallery of the "Day-after-tomorrow Newspaper Co., " originally founded in Niigata at the "Festival of the Earth: Echigo-tsumari Art Triennale 2003.

Using seeds taken from that company in Echigo-tsumari, around 300 morning glories were planted on June 12 along the second-floor corridor terrace facing the ATM Plaza, with the assistance of the Mito City Botanical Park. The Day-after-tomorrow Newspaper Co. will report on the cultivation of these flowers, as well as other events taking place at the exhibition.

Image: Morning glories by Katsuhiko Hibino

We need Habit Mates!

Katsuhiko Hibino will put on his solo exposition at Art Tower Mito in August. Prior to that, won't you help create the exhibition along with everyone else?
Won't you help create the exhibition together with Katsuhiko Hibino?
We are conducting a grand recruiting drive to get people to participate in the creation of several works to be exhibited at the upcoming exhibition.

Ever since the Golden Week holidays in late April and early May, Hibino has been coming to Mito on weekends to carry out a workshop for the production of artworks. As the opening of the exhibition draws closer, he plans to spend even more time in Mito, even on weekdays. We really encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to participate in this project.
Why don't you come and experience the process of creating the artworks and exhibition together with Hibino and others? The project will continue right up to the exhibition's opening, and you can participate at any time.

If you're a bit uncertain of what you should do, just feel free to take a peek and see what is happening.

Workshop: "Hands Habits"
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (free access at any time)
Location: Tosui Bldg., 8F (former Uni Bldg.), 3-6-33 Minami-machi, Mito City

Scheduled workshops:
Stage 9: July 2-3
Stage 10: July 9-10
Stage 11: July 16-17 Stage 12: July 23-24
Stage 13: July 30-31

Notes:
1. When attending the workshop, wear loose-fitting clothes that will be easy to move around in.
2. Though most of the work will basically be carried out on weekends, some things may also take place on weekdays as well, depending on the progress of the project.
3. We welcome anybody's participation, even if for just one day or even just one hour!
4. Changes to the above schedule may be made, depending on the circumstances.

Calendar of Scheduled Events

1. Opening Commemorative Talk
Aug. 6 (Sat), 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Dialogue between Naoto Fukasawa and Katsuhiko Hibino.
Location: Workshop Room, ATM Contemporary Art Gallery
* Admission fee included in the entrance to the exhibition.

2. Hotel Hibino
Aug. 12 (Fri) Hotel Hibino #1
Aug. 13 (Sat) Hotel Hibino #2
Special event held during the summer night, with the cooperation of "agnès b." Come enjoy the museum at night to the fullest.

3. Hibino Cup
Aug. 17 (Wed), 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Original soccer (football) tournament with five members to each team.
Carried out with the cooperation of the FC Hollyhock Mito, some members of which will also participate.
Canceled in case of rain.
Venue: ATM Plaza
Entry fee: ¥2,000 per five-person team.

4. Beyond Tour
Aug. 21 (Sun), 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.
The other side of the world is upside-down. After experiencing such a sensation during a bus tour of Mito, participants will draw upside-down pictures.

5. Beyond the Ocean
Aug. 28 (Sun)
Weather permitting, live pictures will be broadcast from the yacht "Erica," currently sailing the Pacific. Canceled in case of inclement conditions (for the yacht).

6. Hibino Hospital
Sept. 10 (Sat), 2:30-5:30 p.m.
Venue: Workshop Room, ATM Contemporary Art Gallery

7. Gallery Talk
Sept. 11 (Sun), 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Gallery talk between Katsuhiko Hibino and Tsukasa Mori, curator of the exhibition. Fee is included in the admission to the exhibition.

8. Yesterday Party
Sept. 17 (Sat), 3:00 p.m.
Moon phase: 13.5 days elapsed since the new moon - shortly to become a full moon. A workshop will be held on the theme of "time."

9. Today Party
Sept. 18 (Sun), 4:00 p.m.
Moon phase: 14.5 days since the new moon. A workshop will be held on the theme of "today," while admiring the beautiful mid-autumn full moon.

10.Tomorrow Party
Sept. 19 (Mon, national holiday), 5:00 p.m.
Moon phase: 15.5 days since the new moon. On the final day, a workshop will be held on theme of "repeating days."

CRITERIUM

CRITERIUM 64: Sachiko Kazama
"Criterium" is the Latin for "criterion" (originally a Greek word). The series aims to introduce the new works of mostly young artists.

Dates: Aug. 6 (Sat) to Sept.19 (Mon, national holiday), 2005
Venue: Room 9, Contemporary Art Gallery, ATM
Planning coordinator: Tsukasa Mori (curator, Contemporary Art Center, ATM)
Fee: Included in the price of admission to the "The chronicles of KAIYODO" exhibition

Gallery Talk with Babysitter Service
Sept. 8 (Thu), 10:00-11:30 a.m.
For this exhibition, ATM's gallery talk with babysitter service will be moved to a weekday. This event is aimed at visitors with young children who want to enjoy the exhibition at leisure, without worrying about the little ones.
Capacity: Eight persons (first-come, first-served)
Babysitter fee: ¥500 (per family); admission fee to the exhibition is required separately.
How to apply: Reservations accepted by phone only at (029)227-8120 (ask for Babysitter Service staff)
Application deadline: Aug. 20 (Sat)

Buggy Tour (tentative name) for Parents and Children
Aug. 19, 26, Sept. 9, 16 (all Fri), 10:00-11:00 a.m.
This exhibition marks the first time ATM has held "buggy tours" in which parents with preschool children, who normally would find it difficult to visit the museum, can tour the exhibition together.
Capacity: Each time, six parent/child pairs (first-come, first-served)
Fee: None charged; admission fee to the exhibition is required separately
How to apply: Reservations accepted by phone only at (029)227-8120 (ask for Buggy Tour staff)
Application deadline: Aug. 10 (Wed) for August tours / Sept. 1 (Thu) for September tours

Notice about Upcoming Exhibition

X-COLOR Graffiti in Japan
Oct. 1 (Sat) to Dec. 4 (Sun), 2005
The first large-scale exhibition of graffiti artists ever to be held in Japan, introducing 30 groups who are involved in related activities throughout the country. Graffiti art as a genre was launched in New York in the 1970s, and it soon spread like wildfire worldwide. The exhibition also looks at the history of graffiti, as well its relation to other types of street culture, such as hip-hop and skateboarding.
Featured artists (tentative): Ames, Bel×2, Butobask, Casper, Cosa, Daste, Dice, Esow, Fate, Huze, Jota, Kami, Kane, Keone, Kieph, Kress, Make, Neim, Nesm, Phil, Rack, Rom, Sasu, Suiko, Very, Sukurouru, et al.
Project Manager: Kenji Kubota (Curator, ATM Contemporary Art Center)
Project Cooperation: Iseo Nose, Kaze Magazine

ATM Contemporary Art Gallery's
Pass for Adults

A pass has been designed for adults aged 20 and older, letting the holder make an unlimited number of visits to the Contemporary Art Gallery's exhibitions for one year from the date of purchase.
The price is ¥2,500 The artwork on the pass has been designed by Hiroko Ichihara, an artist who incorporates words in her works. The logo on the pass reads: "Contemporary art -- as easy as pie." The pass is on sale at the ticket counter in Art Tower Mito.

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Translated by Paul T. Narum
(official names of exhibitions and artworks are furnished by the artists and planners themselves)

Copyright ©2005 MITO ARTS FOUNDATION. All Rights Reserved. Created by TK.
Mail to: webstaff@arttowermito.or.jp