From the Hara Museum
In the farthest corner on the second floor at the Hara Museum, you will find an installation by Yoshitomo Nara called “My Drawing Room” (August 2004 -). Initially created at the time of the 2004 solo exhibition entitled “Yoshitomo Nara–From the Depth of My Drawer,” the installation became a permanent installation after the show ended and has been open to the public since.
It took Nara five consecutive nights to create the studio, throughout which one can spy evidence of his stay: empty wine bottles, half-finished drawings on the desk, color pencils, a favorite CD in the CD player. “I’ve set up a studio in Germany, Japan and various other places,” says the artist, “but wherever it might be, the contents are the same.”
The artist recently returned to the Hara Museum after closing time and changed the contents of the studio. The result is “My Drawing Room—Christmas version,” on display for a limited time only.
Here is a brief rundown of what he did.
Here are 22 dogs that Nara brought with him. Are they all the same? Look carefully and you’ll see that they are not. First of all, they are of two different colors: off white and light beige. This is because some will be placed where it is bright and some where it is dark. Then there are the noses, some of which point to the right and some to the left.
While waiting for their final placement, the dogs are here gazing at a work by Jae-Eun Choi that was taken at Lake Towada in Aomori prefecture.
* Note that this placement is the work of a museum staff, not Nara. The dogs seem happy, given the fact that Nara’s hometown is in Aomori prefecture.
Jae-Eun Choi, “The Other Side of Illusion 1003017080220″ (2010), color photograph
Nara putting up his drawings.
Putting in more knick knacks.
“In the center would be better, I wonder?”
Finally, arranging the dogs.
A little crowded here!
Finished! Nara with a cheerful smile. A star would be added to the tree a day or so later!
Below is a photo of the installation before the changes. It is quite different now because of the drawings and knick knacks that were added. The Christmas version will be on view until 12/26 (Sun.). Make sure not to miss it!
Yoshitomo Nara “My Drawing Room” (August 2004 -) Photo: Hirotaka Yonekura
It is a busy time for Nara, who has been making ceramic sculptural work in addition to his paintings in New York and other places. Still, he plans to return next year to his small studio here in Tokyo every now to make changes.
[Yoshitomo Nara’s Twitter (Japanese only) http://twitter.com/michinara3]
Incidentally, if you go to the Hara Museum website’s Door to Art (Library03), you can see a video that Nara shot and narrated himself of the “My Drawing Room” installation. Please click the link below:
http://www.haramuseum.or.jp/jp/common/doorToArt/index.html
(※Requires Flash.)
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Exhibition “Jae-Eun Choi – Forests of Asoka”
September 11 (Sat.) – December 26 (Sun.)
※ Join a guided tour (in Japanese only) of the exhibition, given by a curator on Sundays and national holidays (30 minutes long from 2:30 pm).
The BloomBUS! free shuttle service operates between Shinagawa Station and the Hara Museum every Sunday.
[Sponsored by: Bloomberg L.P./Artist: Yasuhiro Suzuki]
Cafe d’Art Christmas Buffet on Dec. 23 (Thu.) from 18:30 (door opens at 18:00)
Hara Museum websites
http://www.haramuseum.or.jp
http://mobile.haramuseum.or.jp