Christian Bonnefoy is currently exhibiting at Maison Hermès Le Forum in Tokyo's Ginza district. This exhibition, Bonnefoy's first solo exhibition in Japan, features six series of drawings and collages, spanning the period from 1974 to 2013, including previously unpublished works. The exhibition includes works such as "Babel," which examines drawing as a form of composition; "Eureka," which sheds light on the concept of painting; "Fioretti," which reinterprets sketching as a process of experimenting with various techniques; "Ludo" and "Composition," which focus on collage as an installation or a space-eroding technique; and "Machines et diagramme," which considers images embodied in concepts. The interconnectedness of each series allows us to understand Bonnefoy's process of reflection on painting, which is at the heart of his practice. The materials used range from canvas to translucent fabrics to ceramics lying on the floor. Their sizes vary widely, from small pieces to a 6-meter-tall collage, a reconstruction of an existing work specifically for this exhibition.

For this exhibition, young architect Hideyuki Nakayama specially divided the exhibition into small rooms, resembling an actual house, creating a clear composition that allows Bonnefoy's diverse works to be viewed by concept. Thin plywood walls, self-supporting only by their sides, separate the exhibition space like a single sheet of white construction paper. The works, pinned to the walls, blend seamlessly into the space, emphasizing the diverse textures and blurring the boundary between the exhibition space and the artworks. This composition focuses on "collage," which invades the space as an installation, and is in sync with Bonnefoy's approach to viewing painting as a material object, using a variety of materials.

Based on six key concepts for understanding Bonnefoy's work, this retrospective encourages a reconsideration of "painting," one of art history's most classic themes. At the same time, Nakayama's venue design brings to light the importance of "designing an exhibition." Until February 28th.


[Event Information]
"Christian Bonnefoy Exhibition"
Venue: Ginza Maison Hermès Forum
Address: 5-4-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Dates: December 13th to February 28th, 2014
Time: 11:00 to 20:00 (until 19:00 on Sundays)
Free admission