The phase2 artists’ activities as a springboard for discussion, we will investigate two fundamentals of modernology methodology: observation and notation.
   
 This year the Aomori Contemporary Art Centre (ACAC) will hold an exhibition on “Re-modernology,” which will examine contemporary societal structure, lifestyle culture, and the relationship between regional daily life and art over a three periods—July-September 2011, October-December 2011, and January-March 2012—based upon the keyword “modernology,” a movement first advocated by Aomori-native Wajirō Kon. The theme of the phase2, the second installment of “Re-modernologio”, is “Observation and Notation”. Wajirō Kon attentively observed society and the living space of the time from many different angles and recorded his observations through drawing.
    What all participating phase2 artists have in common is the ability of acute observation, through which they attentively examine contemporary situations, aims and intentions, and human conditions; they then transform these observations into art, or alternatively create an action in response or describe them as if a dialogue. Each artist is firmly established in their own original means of expression.
    Tomii Motohiro uses familiar everyday items in his art. He strips these items of their essential function and meaning and reduces them to the “things” themselves—their shapes and colors—and by combining these items gives life to his sculptures.
    Niwa Yoshinori describes situations to which most people would not ordinarily give a second thought. He reacts acutely to the strangeness he sees in the world which he is in, and by inserting odd behavior into this strangeness, he places himself in tense situations. He describes these experiences through performance.
    Finally, Asakai Yoko captures human figures and their behaviors in a moment when they are completely engrossed in a matter of some nature. Through dialogues with various people over a limited time period, she is able to immerse herself in their world and can capture these moments in time through the medium of the photograph.
    Around the same time, Romanian artist and conservator of church fresco murals, Pál Péter, will come to Aomori to produce a field sculpture work on the same themes. The means of expression for the final piece will undoubtedly be infinitely varied, but it will be fascinating to see the acuteness of his own original observation towards what he is investigating and a coherent notation which allows him to corporealize his perceptions.
    After all, Kon Wajirō saw the situation at his time from many angles with unique skills of observation. He established this way of observing things through the notation of his very characteristic drawings. By comparing modernology’s fundamental methods—observation and description—and comparing them to each artist’s production style, we will investigate ways of viewing the world and manners of description (establishment).

Artist : TOMII Motohiro (sculpture / tokyo), ASAKAI Yoko (photograph / kanagawa),NIWA Yoshinori (performance / tokyo), Pal PETER (outside work / Rumania)
Artist talk: Sunday, October 23, 2011 14:00 -15:30
Opening Reception: Sunday, October 23

* The text provided by Aomori Contemporary Art Centre

period: Sunday, October 23 - Sunday, December 18, 2011
venue: Aomori Contemporary Art Centre