In 'Where Is Our Place?' the Kabakovs construct three views of art and the world, in gigantic, actual and miniature sizes to evoke the art of the past, present and future. This exhibition, which the Kabakovs call 'every kind of relativity,' explores the relativity of values and the inevitability of history, in which the old is invariably transcended by the new.
Where is Our Place?
A multi-dimensional installation exploring shifting perspectives of art, time and space
The Mori Art Museum presents an exhibition of new work by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, New York based Russian artists whose unique narrative paintings and installations have positioned them at the forefront of international contemporary art. In “Where Is Our Place? " the Kabakovs construct three views of art and the world, in gigantic, actual and miniature sizes to evoke the art of the past, present and future. This exhibition, which the Kabakovs call "every kind of relativity," explores the relativity of values and the inevitability of history, in which the old is invariably transcended by the new. Drifting between periods and scales the visitor is made to think about where his or her own place is within history, society and culture. "Where is Our Place?" is organized by the Mori Art Museum in collaboration with Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Venice and The Museo Nazionale delle Arti del XXI Secolo. It was first held in Venice last year, and will travel to Rome after visiting the Mori Art Museum.
Ilya and Emilia Kabakov
Ilya Kabakov was born in 1933 in Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine. He became a prolific illustrator of children's books for more than thirty years until he moved to the West in the late 1980s. During the 1960s and 70s, Kabakov also produced unauthorized abstract and absurdist paintings and books. Since the 1970s, he has gained recognition in the West. From 1989 Ilya and Emilia (born in 1945) have created many installations for major museums around the world. The Kabakovs’ “total installations†feature memories of everyday life in the former Soviet Union, rendered with a unique blend of cynicism and humor. In recent years, their projects have expanded into a fantasy-laden critique of modern society and history in general. They have been based in New York since 1988.
Venue: Mori Art Museum, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower (52F),
6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-6150 Tel: 03-5777-8600 (Hello Dial)