Artist Asami Kiyokawa's first exhibition featuring men, "Danshi," is being held at Parco Museum in Shibuya. It runs until December 9th.
Kiyokawa combines black-and-white photography and embroidery to depict the lifestyles of 30 men active in various fields. Another notable feature is the way she likens the personalities and auras of her subjects to historical and mythological figures. Real-life figures like Einstein, Bruce Lee, and Chaplin, as well as fictional characters like Sherlock Holmes and Hikaru Genji, collaborate with men living in the present.
The main visual for the exhibition, a work by Nobuaki Kaneko, depicts Kaneko superimposed on the "Archangel Michael" from the Old Testament, with golden wings embroidered on his back. Kiyokawa commented on the sad expression on his face, "He's crying." He continued, "I wanted to show Kim's gentle, democratic side. He wants everyone to live in peace, but it's true that this is difficult. This inner conflict is reflected in his pained expression."
Go Ayano's work also attracted many people. Regarding "instability," one of the keywords that describes his work, Kiyokawa said, "His fragile side is fascinating." Ayano's gaze as he gazes at us is sharp and powerful, but combined with the delicate spider's-thread embroidery, it exudes a seductive "fragility." The work offers a glimpse of his keen sensitivity to "discern people's charms."
The works also express the "inner side" of celebrities, which lies deeper than their public image. Kiyokawa creates the images of his male subjects with little to no dialogue with them. His image before the shoot almost never changes afterward.
On November 16th, there will be a signing session to commemorate the advance sale of Kiyokawa's latest collection of works, "Danshi" (2,940 yen including tax), and on November 23rd and December 7th there will be talk events featuring Nagase Masatoshi and Daito Shunsuke, who were photographed in the photos.
[Event Information]
Kiyokawa Asami "Danshi" Exhibition
Venue: Parco Museum
Address: Shibuya Parco PART 1, 3rd Floor, 15-1 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Dates: November 15th to December 9th
Admission: Free
