The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, founded in Ueno Park in 1926, will hold the exhibition “Dialogue with Trees—Five Stories of Rebirth and Renewal” in marking its 90th anniversary this year. Through the work of five contemporary artists—KUNIYASU Takamasa, SUDA Yoshihiro, TAKUBO Kyoji, TSUCHIYA Yoshimasa, and FUNAKOSHI Katsura—the exhibition will introduce viewers to the expressive depth of artworks that employ wood as a medium.
As living entities, trees have been an integral part of human life since ancient times, and they are also a symbol of hope. This exhibition, held five years after the 3.11 earthquake and tsunami, will present a range of artworks under the theme, “Trees: rebirth and renewal.”
Kuniyasu, employing logs and ceramic blocks, creates large-scale installations that pulse with vitality, while Suda imparts new character to a space by installing minutely rendered sculptures of plants so real they are easily mistaken for the real thing. Takubo, who in past works applied gold flake to scrap wood, will this time undertake an outdoor installation centered on an aged gingko tree. Tsuchiya, meanwhile creates an illusionistic world by carving figures of animals and mythical beasts, and Funakoshi has pioneered new territory in sculpture with unusually shaped human figures, such as his portrait sculptures and “Sphinx Series” works. Through “five stories” by five artists, each one unique, the exhibition will allow visitors to experience the deeply mysterious symbolism enabled by wood as a medium.

Information Provided by: Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum

Period: July 26,2016 (Tue)　〜 October 2,2016 (Sun)
Hours: 9:30 – 17:30 (Last admission 17:00)　Fridays 9:30 – 20:00 (Last admission 19:30) ※Except for September 23 and 30 August 5(Fri), 6(Sat), 12(Fri), 13(Sat), September 9(Fri), 10(Sat) 9:30 – 21:00
Closed: Mondays (Open the Mondays of September 19)
Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum Gallery A, B, C