Contemporary Art Gallery
- GALLERY
Christo and Jeanne-Claude: The Umbrellas Japan-USA 1984-91 A Documentation Exhibition
October 1 (Sat.),2016,to December 4 (Sun.),2016
The Umbrellas, Japan-USA, 1984-91 documentation exhibition is to be held at Art Tower Mito. The Umbrellas was realized by Christo (born in 1935) and Jeanne-Claude (1935-2009), the couple who have been internationally famous for such large-scaled projects as to transform the landscape. It was completed in autumn 1991 in Southern California, US and the northern part of Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan simultaneously. In this temporary work of art, 1,760 yellow umbrellas were dotted about in the hilly area in California while 1,340 blue umbrellas were open in the rice fields in Ibaraki. The size of each umbrella was huge, six meters tall with a diameter of 8.7 meters. During the eighteen-day exhibition period, there were 500,000 visitors in Japan and 2 million in the US. This retrospective exhibition includes Christo’s original drawings for the project, photographs, original documents, components of the realized project and scale models.
Outline
Venue
Contemporary Art Gallery, Art Tower Mito
Dates
October 1 (Sat.),2016,to December 4 (Sun.),2016
Open Hours
9:30 - 18:00 (no admittance after 17:30)
Closed
on Mondays (except October 10, public holiday)
Admission
￥800 (￥600 for advance ticket and group of more than 20 people)
There is a mutual discount with Kenpoku Art 2016 ticket. Those who present their passport for viewing Kenpoku artworks (including advance ticket exchange coupon) or a ticket stub for individual Kenpoku ticket can purchase Christo ticket for 600.
One-year Pass
￥1000: High Teen Pass “H.T.P.” for youth between the ages of 15 and 19
￥2500: Adult Pass for those aged 20 and over
Organized by
Mito Arts Foundation, The Yomiuri Shimbun
With the special support of
The Embassy of the United States of America
Support from
Store Front, Josy Kraft, Asahi Breweries, Ltd.
Curated by
Yu Iseki (Curator, Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito)
Contact
TEL 029-227-8120
Contemporary Art Center
【Organized by】
Mito Arts Foundation
Artists’ Biography
Christo and Jeanne-Claude
Christo (American, born in 1935 in Bulgaria) and his wife Jeanne-Claude (American, born in 1935 in Casablanca, Morocco to French parents) started creating art together as a unit “Christo and Jeanne-Claude” early in the 1960s. Having moved to the U.S. in 1964 and based in New York, they continued to work on “temporary works of art” in urban and rural environments. Jeanne-Claude died in 2009, and Christo is still working to implement Over the River, Project for the Arkansas River, State of Colorado and The Mastaba, Project for Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. In 2016, he completed The Floating Piers, Lake Iseo, Italy 2014-2016 in northern Italy.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude at The Gates, Central Park, New York City, 1979-2005
©Christo, 2005 Photo : Wolfgang Volz
THE UMBRELLAS, PROJECT FOR SIX-EIGHT MILES, THREE THOUSAND UMBRELLAS
Drawing, 1985
30.5 × 39.5cm
Pencil, charcoal, crayon
©CHRISTO, 1985
Photo: Eeva-Inkeri
THE UMBRELLAS, PROJECT FOR JAPAN AND WESTERN USA
Collage, 1986
In two parts: 30.5 × 77.5cm and 66.7 × 77.5 cm
Pastel, pencil, crayon, fabric, map, enamel paint
©CHRISTO, 1986
Photo: Wolfgang Volz
THE UMBRELLAS, JOINT PROJECT FOR JAPAN AND USA
Collage, 1987
In two parts: 30.5 ×77.5cm and 66.7 ×77.5cm
Pencil, fabric, pastel, charcoal, crayon, enamel paint, topographic map
©CHRISTO, 1987
Photo: Wolfgang Volz
THE UMBRELLAS, JOINT PROJECT FOR JAPAN AND USA
Collage, 1988
In two parts: 77.5 ×30.5 and 77.5 ×66.7cm
Pencil, charcoal, crayon, pastel, enamel paint, map
©CHRISTO, 1988
Photo: Eeva-Inkeri
THE UMBRELLAS, JOINT PROJECT FOR JAPAN AND USA
Drawing, 1990
In two parts: 165 ×106.6cm and 165 × 38cm
Pencil, charcoal, photograph by Wolfgang Volz, crayon, fabric sample, enamel paint, topographic map, tape, technical data
©CHRISTO, 1990
Photo: Wolfgang Volz
THE UMBRELLAS, JOINT PROJECT FOR JAPAN AND USA
Drawing, 1991
In two parts: 38 × 244cm and 106.6 × 244cm
Pencil, pastel, charcoal, crayon, enamel paint, photograph by Wolfgang Volz, technical data, aerial topographic map, fabric sample
©CHRISTO, 1991
Photo: Wolfgang Volz
KENPOKU ART 2016
KENPOKU ART 2016 is an international art festival that will be held in the setting of the vast “KENPOKU” region, the largest stage ever in Japan for an art festival. Created by the talented artists from all over Japan and abroad, enjoy about 100 art pieces and projects inspired by the northern region’s history, culture, food, and traditional craft.
Theme: Sea, Mountain, Art!
Dates: Saturday, September 17, 2016 – Sunday, November 20, 2016 [65 Days]
Venues: Hitachi, Takahagi, Kitaibaraki, Hitachiota, Hitachiomiya, and Daigo
General Director:Fumio Nanjo, Director of Mori Art Museum
Number of Pieces:100 (including projects. Participated by about 20 countries and regions)
Sponsored by: KENPOKU ART Executive Committee
(URL: www.kenpoku-art.jp)
Those who present a ticket stub of advance or day ticket for Christo and Jeanne-Claude Exhibition can receive a discount for a passport for viewing Kenpoku artworks; 500 off for the day ticket and 100 off for the individual ticket.
Related program