The special exhibition "'How Far Will They Go?' Grand Project Exhibition" has begun at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT in Roppongi. This is the first time the exhibition will be held in all galleries, from Gallery 1 and Gallery 2 to Gallery 3, which opened on March 31st to mark the 10th anniversary of the museum. A press preview was held on the 22nd and the contents were revealed.

The idea for this exhibition arose when the directors of 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT learned about "Floating Piers," a project by Christo and Jeanne-Claude on Lake Iseo in Italy in June 2016, and decided they wanted to hold an exhibition of the project in some form. Eight participating groups include Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Yusuke Asai, LUCERNE FESTIVAL ARK NOVA, Numen/For Use, Dani Karavan, Junya Ishigami, Georges Rousse, and Tatzu Nishino. The exhibit features idea sketches and documents from the creative process, materials used in the actual works, and new installations.

Just after descending the stairs, the left wall displays a chart of Christo's 50-year history, including the time spent on 23 projects over the past 10 years, the duration of the actual projects, and maps.

Next, Gallery 1 showcases video works. While the previous Christo and Jeanne-Claude exhibition in 2010 introduced their activities through drawings and project photographs, this time it utilizes projections. In addition to the video of "Floating Piers," the exhibition features a 50-minute interview with Christo, condensed from over two hours of interviews conducted specifically for the exhibition. The wall of Gallery 1, just outside the video room, showcases ongoing projects and future plans from among the 37 projects he has undertaken over the past 50 years. Eight drawings from "Mastaba, United Arab Emirates Project," made from 410,000 oil drums, and a 10-minute video showcasing the mastaba, introduce Christo as a painter. Gallery 2, meanwhile, features works by four artists. Immediately upon entering, visitors will find Junya Ishigami's work, which expresses the grand scale of a model of a church project underway in a valley in China's Shandong Province. Beneath the model is a small human figure. To the left of the exhibition space is a new installation by Numen/For Youth. Made entirely of tape, this piece is a representation of dance choreography. Up to three people can enter the translucent, flexible sculpture, part architecture, creating an experience of entering and moving through the object. Additionally, Lucerne Festival Ark Nova exhibited material samples, structural drawings, and footage of the concert, showcasing the project they created in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake. Yusuke Asai presented a mural reconstructing his previous mud-painted works by adding soil collected from Tokyo Midtown. "I wanted it to fit the site, so I made significant changes. Even people who saw it at the Vangi Sculpture Garden Museum wouldn't notice at first glance," Asai said. The hallway showcased documents such as sketches for Dani Karavan's two projects: the Metropolitan Axis and the Negev Monument. The final piece in the facility is a work by Georges Rousse, who said, "Before coming to the venue, I had envisioned a colorful installation, but I changed it to white in consideration of the relationship between the 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT's architecture and the light filtering through the glass." Located in the triangular space beneath the staircase, this circular installation changes shape depending on your viewing position. When photographed from a specific vantage point, it creates a beautiful circle. Photographs are displayed at the top of the stairs. Additionally, Gallery 3 will also be used as a venue for this exhibition. Nishino Tatzu's capsule hotel-like installation is on display. A shower room has been installed in Gallery 3's kitchen, allowing visitors to stay overnight. In July, a reservation-only event will be held offering overnight stays in 17 capsule rooms. Director Naoko Aono said, "I've gathered artists whose grandeur will change something within you after viewing this exhibit. I've created a space where you can feel and experience the grandeur of the exhibit." Christo also shared a message: "It's unfortunate that he couldn't come to Japan, but for now, I must continue working on the Mastaba project in New York. I hope you'll take a look at his drawings and videos."

【Exhibition Information】
"'How Far Will You Go?' Grand Project Exhibition"
Dates: June 23rd - October 1st
Venue: 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT
Address: Midtown Garden, Tokyo Midtown, 9-7-6 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 10:00-19:00 (until midnight on September 30th, admission last 30 minutes before closing)
Closed: Tuesdays
Admission Fee: Adults 1,100 yen, university students 800 yen, high school students 500 yen, junior high school students and younger free