慶應義塾大学アート・センター　Keio University Art Center

The Keio University Art Center is pleased to present an exhibition of a private art collection that features both prewar Japanese artworks, mainly created by Yoshio Fujimaki, and exquisite pieces of Modern art from overseas.
    This exhibition begs the question: how deeply can one gaze at a piece of art? The extraordinary collector who curated these pieces, Reiji Kawaguchi, was known for writing the word “gaze”  with the characters for “looking a person directly in the eyes” . When he pondered a piece of art, he seemed to confront its very being, diving into the depths within. This collection, then, is the culmination of pieces he pierced with his gaze. Yoshio Fujimaki, an artist who stood at the receiving end of this stare, once said, “Live in the times; live beyond the times.” Kawaguchi, as a collector, was sensitized to works that lived in, yet transcended their times, only selecting those that could withstand his ever-seeking gaze. What does this collection, painstakingly put together by Kawaguchi’s ongoing dialogue with the pieces, have to say to us today? We hope that you will come by to find out.
    This exhibition has been split into two cycles, the first of which (June 9–July 5) will primarily feature Yoshio Fujimaki, Yasunori Taninaka, and other prewar Japanese artists, and the second of which (July 9–August 8) will focus on pieces of Modern art by Blinky Palermo, Ana Mendieta, and other international artists.
     
    First cycle: The first part of the exhibition will highlight an artist who captured Kawaguchi’s imagination and the inspiration behind the name for this exhibition, Yoshio Fujimaki. Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy Fujimaki’s captivating prints and conversations on the nature of authenticity. Likewise, the exhibition will dive into the prints of Yasunori Taninaka, a revealing portrait by Shizue Hayashi, drawings by Toshiyuki Hasegawa, and other pieces that are immersed in the lives and experiences of their times.
    Second cycle: The second part of the exhibition will begin with pieces by Antoni Tàpies that were added early on in the history of the collection, followed by drawings by Blinky Palermo that almost look like carvings, Ana Mendieta’s leaf engravings, footprints of Stanley Brouwn, drawings of hatched and curved lines by Hanne Darboven that depict the realities of daily life, and a lineup of other pieces that beg their audience to ask questions.