"Go-Betweens: The World Seen Through Children" will be held at the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi, Tokyo, from May 31 to August 31.
The term "go-betweens" refers to immigrant children who act as intermediaries between their English-speaking parents, performing various tasks. It was coined by photographer Jacob A. Riis, who documented the lives of impoverished immigrants in late 19th-century New York.
This exhibition focuses on the nature of children, who "freely move across various boundaries," such as between different cultures and between reality and imagination, and explores the possibility of a new world in which more diverse values coexist. Through the works of 26 artists and groups from around the world, the exhibition looks at the environment and issues surrounding children, including politics, culture, and family.
A highlight is the numerous valuable historical documents. The exhibition features photographs from the late 19th and early 20th centuries by pioneering American photojournalists such as Rees, as well as photographs by Miyatake Toyo of Japanese American internment camps in California during World War II. Many works by internationally acclaimed artists will be shown in Japan for the first time. In addition to filmmaker Fiona Tan, who represented the Netherlands at the 2009 Venice Biennale, leading figures in the Asian art scene, such as Wong Hoi Cheong, will present works for the first time in Japan. Also featured will be works by cutting-edge artists such as Suheir Nafar and Jacqueline Reem Salloum, who directed the Palestinian-set film "Freedom, Walls, and Hip Hop," which garnered acclaim upon its release in Japan last year. Artists like Christian Boltanski and Yoshitomo Nara will also be participating. Additionally, Yuken Teruya will present a new installation featuring Okinawan children, and Takayuki Yamamoto will present a workshop piece created by children on the theme of "hell."

Other programs will include discussions on social issues surrounding children, such as immigration, international adoption, and minority communities like Aborigines, as well as screenings of seven films, including those about Afghan girls, children living in Indian brothels, and children attending a Korean primary, middle, and high school in Hokkaido.

The exhibition will travel to the Nagoya City Art Museum from November 8 to December 23, the Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum from January 16 to March 15, 2015, and the Kochi Museum of Art from April 5 to June 7.


【Event Information】
Go-Betweens: Seeing the World Through Children
Venue: Mori Art Museum
Address: 53F, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Dates: May 31st to August 31st
Time: 10:00 to 22:00 (until 17:00 on Tuesdays only)
Admission Fee: Adults 1,500 yen, Students 1,000 yen, Children aged 4 to junior high school students 500 yen