Tokyo Weekender - October 2017

German Von Bohn, The Death of Cleopatra, 1841, oil painting, Musee des
Beaux-Arts, Nantes, France ©RMN-Grand Palais / Gérard Blot / distributed
by AMF
Portrait of Tadao Ando (Photo: Nobuyoshi Araki)
FEAR IN PAINTING
An exhibition that’s timed nicely for the spookiest time of year, this collection of
paintings is inspired by a best-selling book, Kowai-e (Scary Paintings), which was
penned by the art historian Kyoko Nakano. By and large, it’s a collection of modern
European paintings and prints, which are arranged in thematic groupings such as
myth, reality, and history. In some cases, the imagery of the works is enough to give
you the shivers, while other pieces require a bit of a back story to send a chill up
your spine. The Ueno Royal Museum Until December 17 www.kowaie.com
T
THEATER
Held yearly, Festival/Tokyo is Japan’s
leading performing arts festival
and runs until November 12. The
event hosts everything from outdoor
performances to in-depth plays that
probe pressing social issues. Here are
three performances from the event that
theater fans shouldn’t miss.
CABARET
CRUSADES
Don’t let the
fact that this is
a puppet show
fool you: this
work uses the
subject of the
European military campaigns into the Holy Land
centuries ago as a vehicle for understanding the
tensions that are currently playing out in the Arab
world today. Features a cast of traditional Arabic
puppets, marionettes, and glass-blown models.
GORILLA:
WHAT IS
HUMAN?
Conceived by
the theater
group FAIFAI,
this performance
is filled
with equal doses of humor and social consciousness.
This work takes place at Ikebukuro Nishiguchi
Park, and the star of the show is a man dressed
in a gorilla suit, who is dancing to live music.
Despite the seemingly silly setup, there’s more to
the show than meets the eye, and must be seen to
be understood.
TADAO ANDO: ENDEAVORS
Self-taught architect and former boxer Tadao Ando is a legend in the world of architecture,
and his projects can be found around the world. Part of the 10th anniversary
celebrations of The National Art Center, Tokyo, this exhibition gives visitors the
opportunity to experience the imaginative power of this architectural heavyweight
by looking at his early residential projects, his use of light and fascination with “void
spaces,” some of his most ambitious creations, and many other facets of his work.
Also on display will be a full-scale replica of Ando’s celebrated Church of the Light in
Osaka. The National Art Center, Tokyo Until December 18 www.tadao-ando.com/
exhibition2017
IN OUR
DISTANCE,
THERE IS
NO SOR-
ROW
This work is actually
two plays
in one, which are performed simultaneously in
adjacent theaters. Taking the events of 3/11 as
a basis, the linked plays are a meditation on the
mental divides brought about by distance. A special
ticket is available that allows two people to
see both plays at the same time, or one person
to see the two plays at separate times.
More information at www.festival-tokyo.jp/en
Photo Credits: Cabaret Crusades, ©Wael Shawky; Courtesy
the Artist and Lisson Gallery. Gorilla: What is Human? Photo:
Kazuya Kato. In our distance, there is no sorrow, Photo:
Hideaki Hamada, Ivy Chen
TOKYO WEEKENDER | OCTOBER 2017 | 35