Here are some must-see art exhibitions during the long weekend. Our first recommendation is "Simple Forms: Where Does Beauty Come From?", held to celebrate the reopening of the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi. This is a touring exhibition of the original "Simple Forms: Where Does Beauty Come From?" exhibition, originally held last year in collaboration with the Hermès Foundation and the Pompidou Centre-Metz, an annex of the Pompidou Centre in Paris. Of the approximately 130 works on display, 30 to 40 percent have been reassembled as Japan-only limited editions, including Chojiro's Kuroraku tea bowl, which embodies the spirit of wabicha tea. This is a fascinating exhibition that refocuses attention on the beauty of simple forms. The Gucci Shinjuku store is currently hosting the "Tranceflora - Amy's Luminous Silk" exhibition, featuring contemporary artist Sputniko!, known for her work in video, music, photography, and performance, and for being named "VOGUE JAPAN Woman of the Year 2013." Sputniko! Focusing on Gucci's timeless "Flora" icon, featuring floral and insect motifs, the museum has collaborated with the National Institute of Biological Sciences to create "rose-scented silk." The exhibition also features a space designed with approximately 3,000 luminous genetically modified silkworm cocoons, including "Amy's Glowing Dress," designed by shoe designer Shinya Kushino. For a break from shopping, try Nobuyoshi Araki's photo exhibition "Man: The Naked Face of Araki" at Space O, a multipurpose hall in Omotesando Hills. This exhibition was held as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the monthly literary magazine Da Vinci. From the series' opening installment, "The Naked Face of Araki," visitors can gaze upon a total of 207 male faces, featuring subjects including Tadanobu Asano, Masato Sakai, Issei Miyake, and Ryuhei Matsuda. Also worth checking out is the photo exhibition "Terry O'Neill: 50 Years of Miracle," by world-renowned London-born photographer Terry O'Neill, currently being held at InStyle Photography Center in Nishi-Azabu. Terry O'Neill discovered and photographed new icons in the music, film, and fashion industries, capturing the turbulent 1960s on film. This exhibition features approximately 30 precious photographs from his nearly 50-year career, featuring famous people such as Brigitte Bardot, Audrey Hepburn, The Beatles, and David Bowie. Finally, if you're in Kyoto, be sure to check out "PARASOPHIA: Kyoto International Festival of Contemporary Culture 2015," the largest international contemporary art exhibition ever held in the city. This exhibition showcases works by 36 groups and 38 artists from around the world, all exhibited simultaneously across the city. The main venue, the Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, will feature works by 31 artists, including New York-based artist Brandt Junço, who presents sculptures and drawings through the evolution of his work, while also showcasing his creative process. The other main venue, the Museum of Kyoto, will also be featured at eight other venues, including the Kyoto Art Center and Ogaki Bookstore Karasuma Sanjo. The third annual KYOTOGRAPHIE International Photography Festival is also taking place at the same time. This time, 14 artists from nine countries will be participating at 15 venues, including Kyoto's machiya townhouses and historic buildings. Among the highlights are Kimiko Yoshida, whose first-ever exhibition in Japan was made possible with the support of Gucci (venue: Hanarakuan Noguchi Residence), and French photographer Marc Riboud's "Alaska presented by Chanel Nexus Hall," now held at Kondaya Genbei Kurogura. Other notable exhibits in venues not usually open to the public, such as Mumeisha and Yuhisai Kodokan, are also worth checking out.
This Golden Week, why not take a break from your busy daily life and soothe your soul with art?
＜List of exhibitions introduced in this article＞
■"Simple Forms: Where Does Beauty Come From?"
Venue: Mori Art Museum
Address: 53F, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
■"Tranceflora - Amy's Luminous Silk"
Venue: 3F, Gucci Shinjuku
Address: Shinjuku Takano Building, 3-26-11 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
■"Man - The Naked Face of Araki"
Venue: Space O
Address: B1F, Omotesando Hills, 4-12-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
■Terry O'Neill: A Gorgeous 50-Year Journey
Venue: InStyle Photography Center
Address: B1F, InStyle Minami-Azabu Building, 5-2-9 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku, Tokyo
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■ "PARASOPHIA: Kyoto International Festival of Contemporary Culture 2015"
Venue: Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art, The Museum of Kyoto, Kyoto Art Center, Horikawa Danchi (Kamichojamachi Building), Kamogawa Delta (Demachiyanagi), Kawaramachi Shiokoji area, Ogaki Bookstore Karasuma Sanjo Branch
■ "KYOTO GRAPHIE Kyoto International Photography Festival"
Venue: Toraya Kyoto Gallery, Comme des Garçons Kyoto Store, Kondaya Genbei Kurozo, Horikawa Oike Gallery, Shimadai Gallery, Ryosokuin Kenninji Temple, Kyoto City Hall Square, Yuhisai Kodokan, and more.
