Tokyo Art Meeting Ⅵ "TOKYO" －Sensing the Cultural Magma of the Metropolis

APT artists group SUPERFLEX presents a new work, "Flagship Shelters" as part of the big group exhibition TOKYO, Sensing the Cultural Magma of the Metropolis at Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (MOT).

MOT has invited local and international artists to describe Tokyo in its contemporary state, asking the question; What kind of image does Tokyo present as a cultural centre as it prepares to hold the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020? SUPERFLEX has created a series of 3D models that are exact copies of some of the most exclusive and prominent flagship brand stores in Tokyo (e.g Prada, Miu Miu and Hugo Boss) made by some of the most recognized contemporary architects (e.g Herzog & De Mouron, Toyo Ito and SANAA). The models are scaled into shelter size 1:20 and are designed to be constructed in material such as plywood shed-standard size and tent fabric, these new structures are intended for people seeking a place of shelter. The models are accompanied by photographs of specific locations from Ueno Park that is inhabited by many homeless.

What kind of image does Tokyo present as a cultural center as it prepares to hold the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020? Externally, its digitalized, commercialized culture is difficult to grasp, resembling a flat wasteland; a refined, yet cold glacier. Tokyo first began to attract global attention during the 1980s when its creativity blossomed to give birth to a unique culture. Having passed through earthquake disasters and economic recessions, a platform upon which to seek ways to create the next culture is finally coming together. This exhibition consists of two elements that allow people to 'sense' Tokyo afresh. One presents images of 'TOKYO', curated by creators active here in Tokyo in a wide range of fields, each concentrating on their own particular topics. The other will consist of new works on the theme of 'TOKYO' by artists who work both in Japan and abroad. The "TOKYO" exhibition will present the creativity of contemporary Tokyo, which inherits the hot, magma-like vitality of 1980s Tokyo to burst through the glacier. Not confined to art, it will cover a wide range of media including music, video, design, etc., to allow the viewer to 'sense' the possibilities that present in the city today.

YMO + Akio Miyazawa, Mika Ninagawa, SUPERFLEX, Takashi Homma, Saâdane Afif, Toshiki Okada, [Mé], EBM(T), Lin Ke, Tetsuaki Matsue and more