The Nakamura Keith Haring Collection presents the ninth installment of its Curator’s Selection series: “museum〆an” by Takuya Yamashita.

Yamashita has explored themes of revival and renewal by repurposing forgotten characters, discontinued mascots, and the functions of spaces and locations. His works challenge traditional notions of sculpture’s autonomy while incorporating the significance of revival. At the 2013 Aichi Triennale, Yamashita exhibited an installation titled Rain-Scattered Oil (feat. Yokohama), featuring woodblock prints carved and pressed directly onto the floor of the exhibition space, inspired by the mascot of a disbanded soccer team.

For this exhibition, Yamashita’s new work draws inspiration from Olympic mascots, ephemeral figures that vanish from public consciousness after the games. Evoking a sense of summoning from the realms of Japanese fantasy and gaming, Yamashita seeks to resurrect these transient characters. His materials include repurposed outer walls of the museum, which are set to be dismantled during its 2015 expansion.

Standing approximately 5 meters tall, this work transforms the architecture of Atsushi Kitagawara’s design into a newly reanimated entity. The title, “museum〆an” (myūjiamu-shimēn), symbolizes the completion of the museum’s past phase and its rebirth into something new. Within the relationships between time, space, and place woven by Yamashita, the work emerges as a fresh presence.Pop and transformative, “museum〆an” summons new energy to the Yatsugatake Highlands. Experience the striking presence of a groundbreaking three-dimensional work by rising star Takuya Yamashita.

Takuya Yamashita

Born: 1985, Mie Prefecture, Japan

Education:
• 2013: Completed Master’s Program in Sculpture, Graduate School of Arts, Kyoto City University of Arts
• 2010: Graduated from Nagoya Zokei University, Department of Fine Arts, Comprehensive Sculpture Course

Selected Solo Exhibitions
• 2014: TALION no Ko, TALION GALLERY (Tokyo)
• 2014: museum〆an, Nakamura Keith Haring Collection (Yamanashi)
• 2014: Ame Furan, ART OSAKA 2014 / ARTCOURT Gallery (Osaka)
• 2013: NEXT EXHIBITION / Hiroyuki Oki “Uchinko 2”, Art Center Ongoing (Tokyo)
• 2013: GEISAI #18 Koichi Watari Award Winner’s Solo Exhibition, Hidari Zingaro (Tokyo)
• 2013: E, YEBISU ART LABO (Nagoya)
• 2013: Jakujaku-sama, ART ZONE (Kyoto)
• 2013: Jakujaku-sama o NEON, Antenna Media (Kyoto)
• 2012: LOCAL HERO, N-MARK B1 (Nagoya)

Major Awards
• 2013: GEISAI #18 Koichi Watari Award (Judge’s Prize) • 2013: Mayor’s Award, Kyoto City University of Arts Exhibition