Kikuji Kawada

World’s End 2008–2010

May 13 - Jul 10, 2010
Photo Gallery International

Kikuji Kawada

World’s End 2008–2010

May 13 - Jul 10, 2010
Photo Gallery International

  • ©Kikuji Kawada

Kikuji Kawada is creating his own world of photography more than 50 years based on myriad ability. The outstanding works of Kawada constantly attracts attention in Japan, and receives international attention as well.
In recent years, he had exhibitions “Eureka – The Complete City” (2001), “Invisible City” (2006) and “Atlas – The Complete City 1998-2006” (2006) which was combination of previous two series. They are the world of photography by Kawada captures relationship between Kawada himself and the characteristic scene of the times.

The exhibition “World’s End 2008 – 2010″ shows photographs from late 2008 until March 2010. The title “World’s End” is closest the total shape of all series of photographs of the city by Kawada.

Mysterious objects suddenly appear in the city, heavy equipment at construction site, etc., they are mostly photographed from in his car.  
“Self imposed, I took daily photos in this time and in this place. The reason I was fixated on this place was because something there was disintegrating”, Kawada mentions. “In the photographs” he says, “a phallus twisted for a split second – such momentary panic frequently occurs.” The mysterious moments in the city shown in Kawada’s photographs faces to viewers with an inexplicable sense of tension. Kawada also mentions, “A clock with the brand ‘World’s End’ ticks counter clockwise and also stops moving. People and scenery vanish from there, cut off by a high speed shutter the moments become dust, hard like a block of marble a strange breath is within the pixels.”

 

Around 30 images in black/white also in color are shown at the exhibition.

Kikuji Kawada

Born in Ibaraki Prefecture, 1933. Founder member of “VIVO”, photographers’ agency (1959-1961). Received the Minister of Education’s Art Encouragement Prize, 2004.

Selected Recent One-Person Exhibition: 
“The Last Cosmology”, Tower Gallery, Yokohama (1995), “ZENO – The Last Cosmology”, Photo Gallery International [P.G.I.], Tokyo (1996), “Car Maniac”, P.G.I., Tokyo (1998), “Eureka”, P.G.I., Tokyo (2001), “Kikuji Kawada: Theatrum Mundi”, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Tokyo (2003), “The Map 1960-1965”, P.G.I., Tokyo (December 2004 – February 2005), “Kikuji Kawada: Eureka/ Multigraph”,
Shadai Gallery, Tokyo Polytechnic University, Tokyo (2005), “Invisible City”, P.G.I., Tokyo (2006), “ATLAS 1998-2006”, Epsite, Tokyo (Dec. 2006 – Jan. 2007), “Remote Past: Memoir 1951-1966” P.G.I., Tokyo (2008)

Selected Group-Exhibitions
“New Japanese Photography”, Museum of Modern Art, New York (1974)
“Japon des Avant-Gardes 1910-1970”, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris (1986)
“The History of Japanese Photography”, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas (2003)

 

 

Exhibitions at PGI

Shadow in the Shadow, 2019
Los Caprichos – Instagraphy – 2017, 2018
Last Things, 2016
2011 – phenomena, 2012
NIKKO – A Parable, 2011
World’s End 2008–2010, 2010
Remembrance of a Remote Past – A Memoir 1951-1966, 2008
Invisible City, 2006
The Map 1960 – 1965, 2004
Eureka, 2001
CAR MANIAC, 1998
ZENO – The Last Cosmology, 1996
Los Caprichos 1970-1980, 1986
Nude Museum, 1984