The exhibition 'Tadanori Yokoo: The Artists' will be held at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Gallery 3 in Minato-ku, Tokyo, from Wednesday, July 21, 2021, to Sunday, October 17, 2021. The exhibition will feature 139 portraits of artists, philosophers, and scientists commissioned by the Fondation Cartier pour l'Art Contemporain, as well as a video in which Tadanori Yokoo discusses his relationship with Issey Miyake, one of the founders of 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT.

The Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art presents 'Tadanori Yokoo: The Artists' from Wednesday, July 21, 2021, at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Gallery 3 (Minato-ku, Tokyo). This exhibition marks the first time in Japan that an iconic series of 139 portraits, created at the foundation's request, will be shown, offering an immersion into Yokoo's painted world.

This series, now including new works, is a tribute to the individuals who have marked the history of the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art. Through the unique talent of Tadanori Yokoo, a master of contemporary painting, the distinct personalities of these figures are brought to life on canvas.

This series began when the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art, celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2014, commissioned Tadanori Yokoo to create portraits of artists, philosophers, and scientists who had shaped the foundation's exhibition history. Yokoo embraced this challenge with great freedom, dedicating three months solely to the creation of these portraits at a pace of one to two works per day, sometimes even three. He produced portraits of artists, thinkers, critics, and scientists from around the world, including Junya Ishigami, Rinko Kawauchi, Agnès Varda, and Cai Guo-Qiang.

While the oil painting technique and the size of 33 cm x 24 cm are consistent across all works, a remarkably diverse range of styles is explored in their expression. For Tadanori Yokoo, who explicitly states, 'Change is creation,' the canvas is an infinite experimental space—a realm for developing new methods of expression and a playground for the interplay between graphics and imagery.

The spatial arrangement of this exhibition invites viewers on a cinematic journey, presenting the works like a ribbon that suggests an endless unfolding of conversation. Each piece, along with magnified details, allows for an exploration into the universe of Yokoo's paintings and, by extension, their potential.

Further deepening the understanding of Tadanori Yokoo's world is a video created for this exhibition by filmmaker Noriaki Okamoto. Viewers can watch Yokoo speak candidly about his relationship with the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art and his connection with Issey Miyake, the founder of 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT.

The poster for this exhibition was created by Tadanori Yokoo himself. It features portraits of Issey Miyake, Sarah Sze, Marc Newson, and Ron Mueck, arranged around a self-portrait of Yokoo depicted as a mysterious shadow. This suggests that not only the subjects being portrayed but also Yokoo himself is spoken through the creation of these portraits.

Through the creation of this series, the artist rediscovers the very essence of his painting. He states, 'I paint to discover. I am still searching for a new self,' revealing the driving force behind his creativity. These portraits not only signify the formation of the 'grand orchestra' that is the Cartier Foundation for Contemporary Art but also reflect the resonance between Yokoo's artistic world and the foundation's spirit, which prioritizes the relationship with artists above all else in its activities.

Additionally, a major solo exhibition, 'GENKYO Tadanori Yokoo: From Origin to Phantasmagoria, and the Present State?', is being held at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo from Saturday, July 17, 2021, to Sunday, October 17, 2021. This, along with the current exhibition, offers a unique opportunity to experience Tadanori Yokoo's painted world.