The year "1968," roughly 50 years ago, is quietly gaining attention. It was a time when many people were excited and believed in the prosperous future and advancement of humanity brought by science and technology. This was the year that Stanley Kubrick's film "2001: A Space Odyssey" and Philip K. Dick's sci-fi novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?", which inspired the film "Blade Runner," were published. "THE EUGENE Studio 1/2 Century Later," a solo exhibition by THE EUGENE Studio, running until December 24th at the Shiseido Gallery in Ginza, Tokyo, features new installations and two-dimensional works themed around the theme of "from destruction to regeneration," taking inspiration from the present, half a century after "1968," and the next half century. THE EUGENE Studio is a collective of artists engaged in a wide range of activities, primarily contemporary art. In addition to creating works using new materials and technologies such as AI, they have also collaborated with Tsuruoka City in Yamagata Prefecture on a project called "Agricultural Revolution 3.0," which combines biotechnology and agriculture. They not only produce and exhibit artworks, but are also notable for consistently engaging in activities that transcend the realm of fine art, exploring how art can harmonize with the real world and shape the next society and future that are connected to the present. Along with teams such as teamLab and Takram, they are a Japanese artist team that is attracting global attention and is in the spotlight.

Agricultural Revolution 3.0, Installation view, mixed media, 2016




The main work of this exhibition, "Beyond good and evil, make way toward the waste land," is a ruined version of the white room that appears in the final scene of 2001: A Space Odyssey, which was released in 1968, exactly half a century ago. In 1968, "20th-century human values" were guided by science and technology, which seemed to continue to develop endlessly, but have since undergone major changes due to "distortions" brought about by environmental issues and bioethics. The destruction and weathering of the room symbolizes this situation. At the same time, this work can also evoke images of 9/11 and other disasters. It's a work that conveys the message that even with technological advances, destructive behavior continues to persist through humans.




“Beyond good and evil, make way toward the waste land.”, Ceramic, iron, wood, glass, ash, other.


Displayed on the wall of the same exhibition room is "Drawing; Model room for Agricultural Revolution 3.0," a work of art engraved on copper plates showing the blueprints of a bio-agricultural project carried out in collaboration with Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture. The set of four copper plates delicately depicts a comfortable, peaceful life and a room surrounded by clothing and furniture made from new materials. The work is typical of THE EUGENE Studio, as it pays homage to paintings in art history by choosing the classical technique of using copper plates and the technique of creating flat works in sets of four.



“Drawing; Model room for Agricultural Revolution 3.0”, Copper.





“White Painting”, Canvas. 




THE EUGENE Studio's endeavor to present a new form of art for the 21st century and utilize new technologies in the real world for the future is innovative (and confident) and poses various questions to the viewer. Yet, the works are accompanied by carefully written text that unfolds in the background, so the viewer is never left behind.

We hope you will come to the Shiseido Gallery to experience THE EUGENE Studio's space, which seems to predict the future while simultaneously working in tandem with modern technology, science, society and the environment.





"THE EUGENE Studio 1/2 Century Later." Venue Photography: Hideyuki Seta