The Hara Museum of Contemporary Art is proud to announce the debut of Yasuhiro Suzuki’s Donation Box Called Well, a gift to the museum by an anonymous donor. This one-of-a-kind donation box will be installed in one of the walls at the museum on Sunday, June 26. To mark its debut, a special installation of works by Yasuhiro Suzuki will be held in The Hall of the museum from June 26 (Sun.) to July 1 (Fri.). A talk event (in Japanese) by the artist will also be held on June 26 (Sun.).

“The coin is the person him or herself,” says the artist. “By dropping in a coin, the person participates in the activity of the Hara Museum. The coin drops, giving rise to a droplet and a ripple, from which a world of new art expands.”

The work appears as a single slot near the end of a wall. Drop a coin into the darkness behind it and one hears the sound of water. The image of Donation Box Called Well then comes alive, with ripples expanding into infinity, the size and sound of which depend on the kind of coin that was dropped in. It is a work that is unique, interactive and delightful.

In order to always reflect what the Hara Museum is “now,” the video content will be updated continuously in the future.

* Because of its nature, Donation Box Called Well is a work that can only be viewed by making a donation.

The work was originally scheduled to be presented to the public in late March, 2011. This debut was postponed following the earthquake. Contributions to the box are to be used for the support and enhancement of the Hara Museum’s activities; however, in light of the earthquake, the museum has decided to donate all monies received this year to a charity dedicated to earthquake relief. The final choice of charity will be made after careful consideration by the end of the year.

About the Artist
Born in 1979 in Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, Yasuhiro Suzuki graduated from the Department of Design of Tokyo Zokei University in 2001. In the same year, he exhibited Perspective of Globe-Jungle, a video installation that incorporates a revolving, spherical jungle gym for children. This work traveled to parks throughout Japan as part of the Global-Jungle Project launched with the Digital Stadium program on NHK. In the years that followed, he has participated in many exhibitions and arts festivals in Japan and abroad, including Ars Electronica Festival ’02 (Austria), DEAF 03 (Netherlands) and Liile 2004 (France). Suzuki uses a wide range of mediums to create highly original works that embody everyday transient phenomena. These include Blinking Leaves (2003), an installation in which paper leaves painted with eyes seem to blink as they flutter through space. Since 2002, he has been engaged in interdisciplinary research at University of Tokyo’s Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology. Last year, his work Ship of the Zipper was featured in the Setouchi International Art Festival 2010, garnering much attention. Suzuki’s design embellished the 2010 BloomBUS! free shuttle bus which ran between Shinagawa Station (Takanawa exit) and the Hara Museum (until Sunday June 12). He lives and works in Tokyo.
(Artist’s website: http://www.mabataki.com/)

* The text provided by Hara Museum of Contemporary Art.

Period: Sunday, June 26 - Frinday, July 1, 2011
Venue: Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, The Hall