The Consul-General of Japan in Sydney's Newsletter - Past Issues

No. 2   Presenting Japanese Art in Sydney   -   November 15, 2019

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About a month has passed since I arrived in Sydney. In that time, what has impressed me most is how widely Japanese art is presented in Sydney and how embraced it is by the public.

Mr Murakami Takashi speaking at the opening of ‘Japan supernatural’

On 1 November, the opening reception for the ‘Japan supernatural’ exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW was held. The entrance court was packed with some 1,000 people. First they heard a dynamic performance of Japanese drumming. This was followed by speeches by Dr Michael Brand, AGNSW Director, and the Hon. Don Harwin, NSW Minister for the Arts, and then a speech by one of Japan’s most recognized artists, Murakami Takashi, who finished his remarks with “Let’s have a party!”

The exhibition examines the origins of Japan’s YOKAI (supernatural beings) and YUREI (ghosts) and their links to contemporary Japan through works ranging from a painted scroll called ‘Night Procession of the One Hundred Demons’, through ukiyo-e prints and Mizuki Shigeru’s manga, right up to works by contemporary artists.
 

Exhibition banners in central Sydney

In the CBD right now, you will see many posters and banners advertising the exhibition. In addition to daily English-language tours, every Saturday, Japanese volunteers are acting as guides giving tours in Japanese language. Early next year, films from the Ghibli Studio – ‘ Spirited Away’  (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi) and ‘ Princess Mononoke’  (Mononoke-hime) – will be shown, and the exhibition itself runs until March. The Japan Foundation, Sydney is also holding a related exhibition at its gallery of Retro Horror Manga until 24 January 2019 (began October).
 

The façade of the Art Gallery of NSW

The‘ Japan supernatural’  exhibition was designed by an Australian curator who has brought together works from around the world. At the exhibition opening, a Japanese contemporary artist told me, “The exhibition layout and style are highly refined. You couldn’t see this in Japan.” I also felt that the exhibition could only be realized through a combination of a deep discernment and understanding of Japan paired with a multicultural Australian perspective.

At the groundbreaking ceremony of Sydney Modern at AGNSW:
Premier Berejiklian and SANAA’s representatives, Ms Sejima and Mr Nishizawa, were among the dignitaries.

On 7 November, again at the AGNSW, the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Sydney Modern galleries was conducted. A competition was held to decide the design of the new AGNSW galleries, and in 2015, the internationally renowned Japanese architectural firm SANAA was selected. At the groundbreaking ceremony, after speeches by Premier Berejiklian and NSW Arts Minister Harwin, SANAA representatives Ms Sejima and Mr Nishizawa both gave speeches and a Buddhist ceremony of purifying the building site (Jichinsai) was held. I really felt how wide the Japanese contribution is to major projects in NSW.
 

The Exchange at Darling Square houses the City of Sydney Library

Speaking of architecture, The Exchange in Darling Square in central Sydney has recently been completed, and Kengo Kuma and Associates were involved in the design of the project. On 9 November, the opening ceremony was held for the City of Sydney Library, which is located in The Exchange.

‘ Kuma Room (Bear Room)’ by Japanese artists Ohnishi Osamu and Ohnishi Masako at Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi

In addition to all the above, there was Sculpture by the Sea, an exhibition of sculpture displayed along the coastal walk between Bondi Beach to Tamarama Beach, held every year since 1997. This year it was from late October to early November, and out of approximately 100 works, around one tenth were by Japanese artists. It was such a pleasure to see Japanese sculpture making its mark alongside works from around the world in such a breathtakingly beautiful location as the cliffs of Bondi.

Thanks to the efforts of Australians and Japanese in the field, Japanese art is being presented in a variety of settings in Sydney and contributes to mutual understanding between us. The Consulate-General of Japan would like to do all it can to support efforts towards deepening this exchange.

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