Event period: September 25th (Wed) - September 30th (Mon) 2024
Location: Art Gallery Kitano 1F
As it was the last week of September, Kyoto was starting to feel a little autumnal. However, the heat was still lingering, and the six-day exhibition ended without incident. In my previous solo exhibitions, I hung a large tapestry in the main window. This was intended to appeal to people walking by from afar, but for better or worse, many customers lost interest after seeing the works displayed in the window. So in this exhibition, I created a display that would invite visitors to look around inside, and then come in if they were interested.
The display is reminiscent of a laboratory or an archaeologist's study, and is meant to arouse the sense of adventure and curiosity of those who see it. The large book-shaped displays are not propped up, but rather placed on a surface, making them slightly difficult to see from the street. This was effective, as people looked into the books, took photos of the displays, and wondered "what is going on?" We hope to continue to get closer to the optimal solution through trial and error. We also inserted "small glass flowers" made from glass powder produced during the production process, which was then solidified and baked, into various places to add a touch of glamour to the display, which was mostly books.
In this exhibition, the book-shaped (handmade) frames were arranged with a wider gap than before. This was done to increase the time spent facing the works. I don't know how effective it was, but I personally think it is easier to see and the amount of information is reduced.
Rings, necklaces, and paperweights were displayed on the display stands at the back of the venue. Here too, the visuals seem to condense the worldview rather than being easy to see. I would like to study this place a little more next time.
The hanging lights make the artworks sparkle. The warm light catches the eye of passersby, and many tourists from overseas have stopped by.
Many people who saw us on social media came to the event. Some people even took time off work to come, and some even came from overseas on their days off.
During these six days, I once again felt deeply that I exist because of everyone's support. I want to give back to the people who came, looked at my work, and bought my work, and I want to be someone who can inspire others.
Originally, I gave the phrase "1cm of the Universe" as a movie title (about 25 years ago). Eventually, the phase changed and I changed to a different title. I had intended to keep several titles for my projects (products) as Nakada Masahide, but in the end "1cm of the Universe" also became the name of my company and became recognized as a brand name. I still don't really feel like it's a brand name, and I still think of it as a movie title. I think that's because I don't think of my solo exhibitions as sales events, but as experiential mobile art museums. I hope that my feelings will remain the same and that I can continue to enjoy the story of "1cm of the Universe" with everyone.
My next solo exhibition in Kyoto will be in April next year. I have some interesting ideas. I will start preparing again from today to make it a reality.