ART | The Exhibition 'Tsuyoshi Ozawa, Masakatsu Takagi: Traveling Through Africa' at Yokohama Creative City Center
ART│New works by two artists connecting Japan and Africa unveiled
Exhibition “Tsuyoshi Ozawa, Masakatsu Takagi: Traveling Africa” at Yokohama Creative City Center
The exhibition “Tsuyoshi Ozawa, Masakatsu Takagi: Traveling Africa” presents new works by contemporary artist Tsuyoshi Ozawa and video artist/musician Masakatsu Takagi, created based on their experiences traveling in Africa. It will be held at the Yokohama Creative City Center from Saturday, May 25 to Sunday, June 9.
Text by YANAKA Tomomi
Tsuyoshi Ozawa’s works bridging past and present, history and fantasy, and Masakatsu Takagi’s beautiful video art
The exhibition “Tsuyoshi Ozawa, Masakatsu Takagi: Traveling Africa” is held as a partner event to the Fifth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD V), hosted by the Japanese government along with the UN and World Bank, from Saturday, June 1 to Monday, June 3 in Yokohama.
Tsuyoshi Ozawa, known for his avant-garde works such as “Jizo Establishing,” where he built and photographed Jizo statues during his university years, and the portrait series “Vegetable-Weapons” (started in 2001) featuring women wielding weapons made of vegetables, traveled to Ghana in Africa. This is also the land where Hideyo Noguchi, a bacteriologist born in Fukushima, went to research yellow fever.
Ozawa visited the footsteps of Noguchi, a great figure who, despite suffering severe burns to his left hand in his youth, achieved international fame through his diligence and effort, yet also possessed a wild side. There, Ozawa created “Dr. N Returns,” a fantastical and humorous character spanning Japan and Africa, blending his own interpretation and fiction with Noguchi’s life story, depicted in the popular signboard art style adorning African street corners.
Meanwhile, Masakatsu Takagi, who also produces music using pianos and computers in addition to video production, visited Ethiopia in Africa. He created dynamic and beautiful video works inspired by the smiles of children and the life he experienced in the villages.
In addition, a special screening of African films will be held concurrently at the venue. Approximately 30 films and documentaries, both feature-length and short, will be screened, focusing on works previously shown and well-received in Japan.
The works of Tsuyoshi Ozawa, bridging past and present, history and fantasy, and the video art of Masakatsu Takagi. The creations of these two artists, connecting Japan and Africa, invite viewers into an Africa seen at eye level.
“Tsuyoshi Ozawa, Masakatsu Takagi: Traveling Africa” Exhibition
Organizer | The Japan Foundation
Dates | Saturday, May 25 – Sunday, June 9
Hours | 11:00 – 19:00
Venue | Yokohama Creative City Center
6-50-1 Honcho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Admission | Free
About Related Events
http://www.jpf.go.jp/j/culture/new/1304/04-03.html

