Who will you show your art to?
Tokyo University of the Arts, 2023
Featuring This Earth by Suzanne Lacy and Andrea Bowers
This exhibition, through the works of artists who confront challenges existing in society, will consider various contemporary issues of today: solitude, body and sexuality, relationship between humans and nature, and collaboration and solidarity with others. The exhibition also sheds light on the role of the viewer, or "audience", and explores the possibilities of a new interrelationship between the artist and the viewer, and a new viewing experience.
Artist and activist Suzanne Lacy has said that when she shows her work in art museums, her imagination extends beyond the people who come to see it, to include those who cannot come to the venue due to financial or psychological constraints.
A work of art does not come into existence simply by the artist alone, and its meaning continually changes according to the reactions of its viewers, who feel, interpret, and at times develop questions upon encountering it. That is why it can be said that works of art are appreciated beyond their time and region, and acquire the freedom to be read in new ways.
This exhibition introduced the various perspectives presented by the artists, while also visualizing what is inside the minds of the audience. In a space where the ideas of the artist and the viewer intersect, we expect a new dialogue with the artwork to emerge.
Organized by Tokyo University of the Arts, "Art and Society" Executive Committee. Supported by Arts Council Tokyo (Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture); The Cultural Foundation of Tax Accountants Association Japan; Nomura Foundation; The Asahi Shimbun Foundation; The Kao Foundation for Arts and Sciences. Supported by Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Japan.
Installation view from the exhibition “Who Will You Show Your Art To?”, Chinretsukan Gallery, The University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts, 2023. Images by Kenta Kawagoe.