No Man’s Land

Firstly I’d like to advice you that the Ambassade de France au Japon is not the one on Aoki-zaka.

A poet Hagiwara Sakutaro has written that “I like to go to France but it is so far from here”. However, the French embassy in Japan is not so far (especially, from Tokyo). “Let's go out to travel, that is, abandon it putting on a new suit" (by Hagiwara Sakutaro).

The charm of this project is the venue. French atmosphere is felt everywhere in the pavilion only by walking in the modern construction of 50 years old. We can feel like being in the foreign country. In the pavilion, it is a little chaotic with the creations and destructions. However, I recommend you to walk around the building just like searching for the ruins.

In "MEMENTO VIVERE/ MEMENTO PHANTASMA" by the Tokyo University of the Arts-affiliated held in the annex until December 27, I could enjoy the exhibition more than I expected. I vividly remember the image installation by Cho SuNe in Room 201, the painting by Aika Furukawa in Room 301, the installation by Yoko Noguchi in Room 307, and the image work by Yuichiro Tamura in Room 308.