ART | Hara Museum Presents 'Sophie Calle – Last Seen / First Seen'

ART│New Works on a Lifelong Theme Premiering in Japan

Sophie Calle at Hara Museum

Sophie Calle – "Last Seen / First Seen," a presentation by the leading French contemporary artist Sophie Calle, comprising "The Last Thing I Saw" (2010), a series of photographs and texts based on interviews with blind individuals, and "Looking at the Sea" (2011), a video work capturing the expressions of people seeing the ocean for the first time, will be held at Hara Museum in Shinagawa from March 20 (Wed, holiday) to June 30 (Sun).

Text by YANAKA Tomomi

Hara Museum ARC in Shibukawa, Gunma, to Exhibit "Localized Pain"

Sophie Calle is known for her highly narrative works composed of photographs and words. Born in Paris in 1953, she has presented a succession of provocative works, including "Sleepers" (1979), which featured interviews with strangers invited to sleep in her bed; "Hotels" (1983), in which she worked as a chambermaid in a Venetian hotel and photographed guests' rooms; and "The Address Book" (1983), a series for the French daily newspaper Libération based on interviews with people listed in a found address book about the book's owner.

Hara Museum is hosting "Sophie Calle – Last Seen / First Seen," her first solo exhibition in 14 years since "Localized Pain" (1999), which depicted the process of healing emotional wounds through the exchange of painful experiences. "Last Thing I Saw" and "Looking at the Sea," Calle's latest works exploring vision and perception, have been reconfigured for the museum's space and will be shown in Japan for the first time.

Sophie Calle – Last Seen / First Seen 02

"Last Thing I Saw" (detail), 2010, color photograph ©ADAGP, Paris 2013 Courtesy Galerie Perrotin, Hong Kong & Paris – Gallery Koyanagi, Tokyo

Sophie Calle – Last Seen / First Seen 03

"Last Thing I Saw" (detail), 2010, color photograph ©ADAGP, Paris 2013 Courtesy Galerie Perrotin, Hong Kong & Paris – Gallery Koyanagi, Tokyo

Also on display will be a special piece combining elements of her seminal work "The Blind" (1986), in which she asked congenitally blind individuals "What is the image of beauty?"—a precursor to the current exhibition—with "Seascape," by her close friend and contemporary artist Hiroshi Sugimoto.

During the exhibition period, related events will also be held, including "Woven Words – Sophie Calle and Miranda July / Hara Museum Collection" at Hara Museum ARC in Shibukawa, Gunma, from March 16 (Sat) to June 26 (Wed), featuring Calle's "Localized Pain" and Miranda July's "The Hallway."

This exhibition offers a quiet space for contemplation on the questions Calle has long pursued: "What is beauty?" and "What does it mean to see?" We invite you to experience this journey into the profound insights derived from Calle's enduring quest.

Sophie Calle – Last Seen / First Seen
Dates│March 20 (Wed, holiday) – June 30 (Sun) *Closed Mondays, except for Monday, April 29 and Monday, May 6, which are open. Closed Tuesday, April 30 and Tuesday, May 7.
Hours│11:00 – 17:00 *Wednesdays until 20:00, except for March 20.
Venue│Hara Museum
4-7-25 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
Tel. 03-3445-0651
Admission│General ¥1000, University/High School Students ¥700, Elementary/Middle School Students ¥500
http://www.haramuseum.or.jp