I’m thrilled to announce that my solo exhibition is going to start tomorrow GALLERY MoMo Project in Tokyo.

Even we are still under state emergency, I hope you will be able to stop by it if you will be around. 

 

Naomi Okubo

"From Here to Somewhere, From Somewhere to Here"

 

September 25  (Sat), - October 23 (Sat), 2021

 

 

2F 6-2-6 Roppongi Minato-ku Tokyo 106-0032 Japan

Opening times :Tuesday – Saturday  12pm – 7pm

Closed on Sunday, Monday, National holiday

 

 

 

Artist Comment

In March 2020, NY was in the middle of lockdown.  I could not even go to the studio and I was frightened by the sound of ambulances that did not stop ringing all the time in my apartment.  On the other hand, I was grateful that I could spend my daily life slowly and have enough time, suddenly came down to me, to do nothing. It seemed that it was reversed what I believed ideal and what I longed for, and the important things I missed in the busy days. 

I decided to return to Japan in September 2020. 

 

The pandemic by COVID-19 has exposed the inherent contradictions of its societies in various countries.

I was thinking about freedom in a country of freedom. Even if you say freedom in one word, the freedom that someone thinks can hinder the freedom of others, and it is different from your own freedom.  

 

I had considered what an ideal is in an ideal country.

Every country has some kind of ideal.

But that idea maybe someone’s ideal, not me or someone else’s.

 

From my experience of the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 and the nuclear accident, I realized that the important thing and the inconvenient truth the government doesn't want us to know was always hidden in beautiful images and words.  

Can we go out of the given utopia into the wilderness and live freely by having each important belief and holding hands with each other.

 

Naomi Okubo, 2021

 

 

 

展覧会のお知らせです。

 

今週末の土曜日9月25日（土）から、日本では5年ぶりの個展

Gallery MoMo Project が始まります。

 

なかなか外に出づらいご時世ではありますが、足を運んでいただけたら幸いです。

よろしくお願いします。

 

 

大久保 如彌｜From Here to Somewhere, From Somewhere to Here

 

2021年9月25日（土）- 10月23日（土）

営業時間 ：火曜日 – 土曜日  12pm – 7pm   日曜・月曜・祝日休み

 

 

2020年3月、ロックダウンの最中のNY。スタジオにも行けず、ワンルームのアパートで四六時中鳴り止まない救急車の音に怯えながらも、ふと降りてきたあまりある時間に、なんでもない日常をゆっくり過ごせることのありがたさを感じていた。せかせかと過ご していた中でこぼれ落ちていたもの。理想とし、憧れていたものとが反転したようだった。

 

その年の9月に日本に帰国することを決めた。

 

コロナによるパンデミックはさまざまな国で、その社会が持つ元々ある矛盾を露呈させた。

 

自由の国で自由について考えていた。

自由とひとことで言っても、

誰かの考えた自由は他の人の自由を阻害するものにもなりえて、

自分の思う自由とは違うものだったりする。

 

理想の国で理想とは何か考えた。

どの国もある種の理想を掲げる。

でもその理想は誰かの理想で私や他の人の理想ではなかったりする。

 

2011年の東日本大震災と原発事故で思い知らされたことは、大事なこと、

知られたくな不都合な真実はいつも美しいイメージと言葉で隠されているということだった。

 

私たちは与えられたユートピアから荒野に出て、それぞれの大事さを手に、

手を取り合いながら自由に生きられるだろうか。

 

2021年　大久保如彌

 

 

【新型コロナウイルス感染予防ご協力のお願い】

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ギャラリーでは定期的な換気、清掃を行い、スタッフの健康管理、うがい手洗い消毒、マスクの着用の徹底をいたします。

 

 

 

 

 

 

’m thrilled to announce the documentary that I appeared on was broadcasted and now available on the website of ALL ARTS TV(the U.S only) and their Youtube page (Worldwide).

 

The documentary TV series “flow STATE” is produced by Cyprian Films, New York, in partnership with ALL ARTS(PBS). It features 16 various local artists who work and live in North Brooklyn.

The production team consisted of members of different races and backgrounds. It is fortunate to be a part of it as Japanese. It was delightful that I had lived only 3 and a half years but had been treated like a local by people in NY.

Furthermore, I could feel I’m a local even from the first day of living in NY because someone asked me for directions. It represents the diversity of NY which I like the most. Many friends also have similar experiences. I guess if I say this, New Yorkers might answer “who is New Yorker?”

 

I know NY and other big cities are just small parts of a huge country but watching and hearing the current cruel news from the U.S, I truly grieve for the victims of Asian hate crime... It is really unbelievable that some inhuman racists treat people as objects. No one shouldn’t be treated as an object.

 

I’m simply against any kind of racism not only in the U.S but also here in Japan. I keep going to look back by myself, consider my responsibility as a member of society.

 

Again, I appreciate the director of CYPRIAN FILMS Minos Papas, Producer Liz Sarge. I also enjoyed talking with Sophia Kayafas who is a wonderful artist and one of the hosts of this series. Special thanks to the independent curator Clemence who introduced me to them.