From "BEACH." © Boris Mikhailov

How the Gallery Space Makes You Feel

In relation to Boris's story, I'd like to talk about galleries themselves this time.

With Boris, the nuance you feel from the entire exhibition isn't something you get from looking at each individual piece. What he was thinking about was how to make people feel something as a whole. He never fixates on individual works, yet the exhibition has a palpable tension. In a way, that feeling wouldn't emerge without stripping away the superfluous. However, that doesn't mean a best-of album would suffice.

I can understand why, in European galleries, there are patrons who buy an artist's entire body of work, saying "all of this." They want to acquire "this world," not just "this work." On the other hand, something that strikes you in a gallery might not have the same impact when you take it home, which is another story altogether.

Andy Warhol's silkscreens, for instance, blend into the atmosphere when displayed in a shop somewhere in town. But they look entirely different when viewed in a gallery space. Each artwork truly has its "place." That's why artists who hold solo exhibitions first consider the "box" (the gallery).

From a poster. © Boris Mikhailov

Crafting a Story for Rat Hole

For Rat Hole Gallery, I hope that as we continue, a cohesive story will begin to emerge.
This could be the artists' relationships, or perhaps the history of Japanese photography. In any case, the ideal scenario is for us to first extend a one-sided affection to the artist, and then for that artist to see the space and be inspired to approach us in return. Conversely, without this, it simply won't work.

Saying "Let me exhibit anywhere" is unproductive, and "I'll exhibit with anyone" is unacceptable. And I believe that as this stance gradually spreads to those around us, the true meaning of that place will naturally come to light.

Boris Mikhailov Photo Exhibition "BEACH"
Dates: February 28 (Wed) - March 25 (Sun), 2007
Hours: 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM (Closed Mondays)
Venue: RAT HOLE GALLERY
B1F, HYSTERIC GLAMOUR Aoyama, 5-5-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku
TEL: 03-6419-3581

Boris Mikhailov was born in 1938 in Kharkiv, a major industrial city in the Ukrainian SSR (now residing in Berlin). He began photography at the age of 28, working as an electrician for the railway company. He later lost his job for photographing nudes, which was taboo under the oppressive socialist regime, and became an independent photographer. Through his energetic activities, he established his reputation as a significant artist. Under the Soviet regime, while free artistic expression was restricted, he created numerous works satirizing the system and capturing intensely personal scenes. His fierce yet warm gaze, seeking truth and born from an unyielding spirit, first gained recognition in Europe and then worldwide. In the 1990s, his radical yet humorous and unique style garnered increasing acclaim through solo exhibitions at museums and publications in major cities globally. He received the Hasselblad Award in 2000, further expanding his artistic endeavors. He first visited Japan in 1998 and has been introduced in Japan through exhibitions such as "Double Exhibition with Nobuyoshi Araki = Winter Love =" (ShugoArts / 1999) and "Intersecting Currents - MoMA Contemporary Art Collection" (Hara Museum ARC).

RAT HALE GALLERY: http://www.ratholegallery.com
HYSTERIC GLAMOUR Official: http://www.hystericglamour.jp
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